[Year 12 Its] Primary vs Secondary Data Sources

[Adrian Janson]

Hi Kevork,

I think I would have to agree with you.  I believe that primary data sources
are ones which you collect first hand, whereas secondary sources are ones
that have already undergone some sort of processing or interpretation. 

In the example you quoted - I would think that customer satisfaction surveys
would be primary data (as long as you conducted the survey yourself, as
opposed to an outsourced job).  Customer complaints log is also primary
data. 

Cheers,
Adrian

-----Original Message-----
From: is-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:is-bounces at edulists.com.au] On
Behalf Of Kevork Krozian
Sent: Thursday, 12 May 2005 10:40 AM
To: is at edulists.com.au
Subject: [Year 12 Its] Primary vs Secondary Data Sources

Hi folks,

   Just rolled out SAC32 and went through the practice VITTA CD SACs.
 I have a concern with one question in Sample SAC B on Happy Homes.

Question 2:  What other information would you collect and how and who would
you collect this information from? Also identify which of these are primary
or secondary sources of data. 

Answer: Primary sources of data would include the collection of the forms
presently used to write quotes, any output produced by the system for
example the 'order' printout produced by the 'jobs' database and screen
dumps of input screens. 

Interviews of the customer service staff who process the quotes and the
salesmen, would provide additional sources of primary data. 

Secondary sources of information would include the customer satisfaction
surveys and customer complaints log.

Observation and performance of the processes would provide another source of
primary data and help to get a more defined view of the present system and
its problems.

            < end of answer>

 I would have thought customer satisfaction surveys and customer complaints
logs would still be primary sources of data as they are still directly
connected to the system in question. 
 An example of Secondary data here might be say an across the board survey
as found in a newspaper or industry magazine or web site about customers of
home security systems in general.

 Happy to hear any comments

Regards


Kevork Krozian
IT Manager , Forest Hill College
Mailing List(s) Creator and Administrator
http://www.edulists.com.au
k.krozian at fhc.vic.edu.au
Mobile: 0419 356 034


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