And we are off! Pilot data collection has officially commenced! In 2019 the ACMS team was hard at work refining the survey we will be using in the study. We’ve ensured it fits the most robust conceptual models and have consulted with a team of experts around the globe. Now, in our pilot studies, we are asking the opinions of the people who really matter- every day Australians. The goal is to ensure the questions make sense and are easy to answer for the thousands of Australians who will participate in this survey.

The ACMS pilot work includes two phases. In phase one a series of cognitive interviews are being conducted with a range of Australians of different backgrounds and ages. The goal of these interviews is to gather detailed feedback to to ensure the questions are clear, comprehensible, and have face validity. Data gathered will be used to further refine and enhance the survey instrument. Two rounds of cognitive testing will be undertaken to allow refinements to be made between rounds if required. We would like to acknowledge the people who agreed to participate in these interviews and provide their valuable thoughts and opinions to help inform survey design.

Phase two is scheduled to take place from April to June. This will involve a full test of the entire project protocol including interviews of 100 respondents. The goal of this pilot testing is to establish the psychometrics of the full survey instruments and to make any final adjustments as needed.