The Survey Practice Forum is where everyone involved in UK social surveys – survey agencies, survey commissioners, survey users – can share knowledge, experiences and ideas regarding survey practice.
This event will focus on Challenges and Opportunities for Social Survey Data Collection in Wales, though most of the issues to be discussed will also be of relevance in the rest of the UK.
To enable a thorough exchange of perspectives, plenty of time will be available for discussion and comment.
Programme:
10.00 Introduction to the Survey Practice Forum, Peter Lynn (University of Essex) & Olga Maslovskaya (University of Southampton)
10.30 National Survey for Wales: Evolution of the design and methods, Chris McGowan and Danielle Couturiaux (Welsh Government)
11.15 Break
11.35 Surveys in Wales
Some reflections from Beaufort Research on the practicalities of survey research in Wales, Chris Timmins (Beaufort)
Some reflections from ORS on the practicalities of survey research in Wales, Kester Holmes (ORS)
12.30 Lunch
13.30 Methods I
Methods for respondent-driven sampling with probability-based seeds: Lessons learnt from the NatCen panel experiment, Olga Maslovskaya (University of Southampton), Luciano Perfetti Villa (University of Southampton), Curtis Jessop (NatCen) and Carina Cornesse (GESIS)
The role of web-first methods, knock-to-nudge and respondent communications in ONS’s future survey strategy, Ian O’Sullivan, ONS
14.50 Break
15.10 Methods II
Can probability-based web surveys be representative of the UK general population, with or without additional modes? Gabriele Durrant and Peter W F Smith (University of Southampton), Pablo Cabrera-Álvarez, Jamie C Moore, Jonathan Burton, Annette Jäckle (University of Essex)
The success of web-first surveys in the UK relative to alternatives, Peter Lynn, University of Essex
16.30 End
This is an in-person event and lunch will be provided.
Please register here: 5th Survey Futures Survey Practice Forum Tickets, Thu, Jan 29, 2026 at 10:00 AM | Eventbrite