Washington, DC (PRWEB) July 07, 2014
RoadFish.com, men’s lifestyle and finance magazine, commented today on a recent (7/1/14) Washington Post article written by Carol Morello about the U.S. Census Board making the move from paper to online surveys in time for the decennial census in 2020. RoadFish.com expressed their support of such a switch, and even recommended a survey site that they feel would be a good model—the up-and-coming sister site of Survey Monkey, Wufoo.
In her article, Morello states that the Census Bureau estimates they could save upwards of $5 billion by switching from paper to online polls. The article states that currently, the Census Board is in a testing phase where they are asking approximately one third of all D.C. and Montgomery County residents to act as “test subjects” in taking online polls. Morello writes that the money saving opportunities would come from the Census Bureau being able to reduce their number of field offices and Census workers by about two thirds of the amount that were needed for the 2010 Census.
RoadFish.com’s Senior staff writer is quoted as saying, “This sounds like a really smart move for the Census Bureau. They are staying with the times and using the advancements in technology to their advantage. From what I gathered, it does not sound as though there will actually be any job cuts, but rather an elimination in the need to hire people to help conduct the upcoming census. While it’s true that a loss of jobs would be an unfortunate side effect, the amount of money that could be saved for taxpayers overall speaks volumes.”
RoadFish.com uses online surveys frequently, and recommended a model-like survey website, Wufoo, for online polling, stating that Wufoo has an easy-to-use interface and customizable options. Says RoadFish.com’s Senior staff writer, “If the survey’s not self-explanatory, quick, and easy to understand, I’ve found that you tend to lose people. It sure may be different when conducting a census, but I think it’s generally a good rule of thumb to go by.” RoadFish.com is a fan of the many platforms that Wufoo offers, and the user-friendly nature of the surveys themselves.
The Washington Post article states that the last major census done in 2010, was done the “old-fashioned way,” with citizens paper forms and postcards via snail-mail and sending them back the same way. So far, 190,000 households in the District and Montgomery County have participated in online surveys due July 1st to see how residents respond to the new form of polling. If all goes well, the U.S. may see its first online Census in 2020.
About RoadFish.com:
RoadFish.com is a men’s online lifestyle magazine for middle-aged males who take pride and success in their personal and professional lives, and are seeking adventure and constant growth in life. The men’s online magazine writes stories about the dating trends, men’s luxury items, and personal finance. RoadFish.com is owned and operated by Purpose, Inc.