What is CATI?

CATI stands for Computer Aided Telephone Interviewing. A telephone interviewer with a headset sits in front of a computer screen and enters answers as they are given over the telephone. As each answer is input, the next question appears on the screen for the interviewer to ask. Answers can be input as text where they are open-ended, or selected from menus when the answers have been precoded, ie there is a choice of a fixed number of answers. Sophisticated routing programmes are available which select the next question on the basis of the previous answer, or of combinations of previous answers.

As soon as the interview is complete, or in some cases during the interview, the information is stored in a database and analysis can be carried out immediately without the need to re-enter data. This also offers potential benefits in avoiding wrong routing by interviewers.

CATI is used for almost all Omnibus consumer interviews conducted over the telephone, and for many business interviews.