mSvy

mSvy is an open-source framework for designing, deploying, and analyzing surveys, with an emphasis on mobile data collection in low-connectivity environments. It provides end-to-end tooling for questionnaire authoring, form validation, skip logic, multilingual support, and systematic sampling design, enabling researchers and practitioners to implement complex surveys with audit trails and reproducible workflows.

Technically, mSvy comprises a client ecosystem and a server component. The mobile clients (Android and iOS) operate offline, store responses locally in a portable format, and synchronize with the central server when a connection is available. The server handles user authentication, form versioning, data governance, and export of data to statistical software formats. The system supports export to CSV, JSON, and formats compatible with R and Stata, as well as integration via REST APIs.

Origins and development: mSvy originated from an open-source collaboration among universities and development organizations to address gaps in field data collection, prioritizing privacy, accessibility, and extensibility. The project is community-maintained with modular plugins for custom question types, external validators, and analysis workflows.

Adoption and reception: Widely used in academic research, public health, and humanitarian monitoring, mSvy is praised for offline reliability and adherence to survey methodology. Critics note a learning curve for form design and the overhead of maintaining server infrastructure, especially for small teams.

Related projects include ODK, KoboToolbox, and LimeSurvey.