Westat's information technology (IT) capabilities are integral to the quality, timeliness, and responsiveness of our work. These capabilities begin with our 450 systems analysts, programmers, and information technologists whose expertise encompasses:
Data preparation support is provided by our skilled staff of data system designers, data preparation supervisors, data coders/editors, and data entry personnel.
Our IT staff remains current with leading IT technologies via an aggressive professional development program including skills training provided through in-house, vendor, and third-party sources. IT staff are also encouraged to seek individually based skills development through Westat’s tuition reimbursement program.
Westat's more than 2,500 desktop and several thousand laptop and tablet personal computers (PCs) are used extensively to support survey research and study activities including task and budget management, communications, data collection, data preparation, data transfer, data analyses, and reporting. These systems are networked locally via an extensive array of high-end servers and high-speed communication lines.
Wide area network capabilities are provided via web-based applications supporting robust project management, data management, communications, and decision support systems. Servers and mission-critical processors across our Rockville campus are located in secure, temperature- and humidity-controlled facilities. These installations are served by redundant A/C units, uninterruptible power systems, and standby generators. High availability of the computer facilities is achieved through implementing redundant systems backed by carefully prescribed continuity plans.
Westat’s data centers—the backbone of our survey research activities—include redundancy; the operations from one center can be easily transferred to another if necessary. Our computer facilities include:
Westat’s PCs and peripherals are selected, procured, serviced, and maintained by our PC Technical Services group. Westat’s corporate help desk provides prompt support to Westat staff on hardware and software issues.
Westat has established a robust environment for designing, developing, and implementing web sites and web-based applications supporting data collection, data dissemination, and collaborative research.
Our usability laboratory provides state-of-the-art tools for testing user interfaces. Our testing group ensures that links are valid and sites are Section 508 compliant. The Microsoft .Net platform is the foundation of our web development activities and is used to develop robust, web-based applications.
Westat provides a mature, secure environment for housing web-based systems. We host several hundred sites with more than 100 database and Web servers. The sites are centrally managed and maintained by systems and database administrators. The sites are also physically, environmentally, and logically secure and completely redundant.
Westat has developed and maintains the Cheshire® CAI and survey database management system. We are also a leading user and distributor of the Blaise survey system for which we have a partnership arrangement with the developer, Statistics Netherlands.
For computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) studies, both the Cheshire® and Blaise systems are integrated with Westat's computerized Field Operations System. This web-based system provides a configurable set of components for managing and tracking field operations. Westat retains a large bank of laptops and tablet PCs to support current and potential CAPI, computer-assisted self-interviewing (CASI), and audio CASI surveys.
Our computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) operations are supported by a nationwide network of phone centers. They are configured with auto-dialer systems and Westat’s proprietary and highly effective CATI scheduling system. Meta-data systems integrated with CAI collection systems assist in managing and documenting complex instruments and postcollection processing tasks.
Specialized coding systems, such as for food nutrient coding and health provider coding, are integrated into comprehensive survey systems. Westat’s Codebook and Editing (COED) system has been used extensively in producing and documenting file-based data deliveries. Our data preparation and processing capabilities include a key-entry facility using a programmable system with data verification protocols dedicated to the special needs of direct data entry from survey forms. Optical scanning systems provide rapid data conversion through optical mark recognition and for specialized requirements through optical character recognition. Image capture and indexing systems support projects using paperless processing.
Our interactive voice recognition (IVR) system interacts with callers, collects information, and routes calls to the appropriate recipient. The IVR system accepts a combination of voice and keypad input and can provide responses via voice, fax, or email. The system can also collect information from a caller for scheduled callback at a time of the caller’s choosing.
Westat data systems are subject to stringent security and confidentiality standards and procedures. Security procedures are regularly reviewed to ensure their compliance with evolving industry standards and practices.
Among the technologies supporting security are the following:
The system is divided into zones secured by a programmable firewall to provide maximum security.
Our web-based systems undergo semiannual penetration testing from an outside security firm, and we address any deficiencies found.
Physical data security across all network servers is ensured through the use of secure storage facilities and strict compliance with daily backup protocols. Based on the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act (CIPSEA), Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA), and related government regulations, Westat retains privacy data in separate, secure data stores through use of our Secure Identifier Management System (SIMS). We have successfully gone through Federal certification and accreditation for projects using low, moderate, and high security systems.
