Pilot testing is crucial when preparing any community-based vaccination coverage survey. In this paper, we use the term pilot test to mean informative work conducted before a survey protocol has been finalized for the purpose of guiding decisions about how the work will be conducted. We summarize findings from seven pilot tests and provide practical guidance for piloting similar studies. We selected these particular pilots because they are excellent models of preliminary efforts that informed the refinement of data collection protocols and instruments. We recommend survey coordinators devote time and budget to identify aspects of the protocol where testing could mitigate project risk and ensure timely assessment yields, credible estimates of vaccination coverage and related indicators. We list specific items that may benefit from pilot work and provide guidance on how to prioritize what to pilot test when resources are limited.
Keywords: data collection; household survey; immunization; pilot test; surveys; vaccination; vaccination coverage; vaccine-preventable diseases.