This is a Title Slide

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Windshield and Walking Surveys
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What are windshield and walking surveys?
Windshield surveys are systematic observations
made from a moving vehicle. Walking surveys are
systematic observations made on foot.
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Why would you conduct windshield or walking
surveys? 1. Windshield or walking surveys give
an objective view of the community. 2. They
can be adapted to community-based participatory
action research, inviting community
participation. 3. They may allow you to see
assets that community members take for granted or
dont see. 4. They can be the easiest and
quickest way to get an overview of the entire
community.
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Why would you conduct windshield or walking
surveys (continued)?
5. They allow clear comparisons among different
neighborhoods in a city, villages in a rural
area, etc. 6. They can be very useful in
understanding specific aspects of a community.
7. They give you a feel for the community.
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When should you conduct windshield or walking
surveys?

• When you conduct a survey depends on your purpose
  in doing so
• If the information youre gathering is geographic
  or physical where things are located, what
  housing is like then the survey can be
  conducted anytime.
• If you want to understand how people use the
  community, you have to conduct your survey at
  times perhaps a number of different times
  when theyre likely to be engaged in the
  activities youre interested in.
• You may have to do a number of surveys at
  different times of the day, week, and/or year to
  find out what you want to know.

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Who should conduct windshield or walking surveys?
A small urban neighborhood or rural village might
be adequately surveyed in a day by a single
person. A large city might require several
days by several teams of observers. If youre
engaged in participatory research, you might
organize observers in teams, each of which has
representatives of several different stakeholder
groups different ages, cultures, ethnicities,
income levels, community sectors (business,
government, health and community services), etc.
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Who should conduct windshield or walking surveys
(continued)?
If the survey is to be done within your
organization, you might consider using teams
composed of folks from different parts of the
organization (line staff, administrators, support
staff, etc.) or from different locations.
Consider safety when assigning particular
people to particular neighborhoods, and when
deciding whether individuals or teams should
conduct the survey.
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How do you conduct windshield or walking surveys?
General guidelines for both windshield and
walking surveys 1. Determine who will conduct
the survey. 2. Decide on the questions you
want your survey to answer. 3. Decide on the
areas youll include in your survey. 4.
Decide when youll conduct your survey.
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How do you conduct windshield or walking surveys
(continued)?

• 5. Train the people who are going to conduct the
  survey in the following strategies
• Get well acquainted with your questions, the
  purpose of the survey, and what youre looking
  for
• Make and use a checklist to ensure that you
  address all your questions, and observe all the
  areas you want to
• Try to be unobtrusive
• Carry identification
• Take notes as you go along
• If youre working in teams, assign roles
• Discuss your findings as you go
• Pay attention to safety

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How do you conduct windshield or walking surveys
(continued)?
6. What to examine in a general community
assessment survey

• Environmental quality
• Race/ethnicity
• Faith communities
• Health services
• Community and public services
• Community safety
• Public schools
• Higher education
• Political activity
• Community organizations
• Media
• Differences among neighborhoods or areas of the
  community
• The feel of the community

• Housing
• Other buildings
• Public spaces
• Parks
• Culture and entertainment
• Streetscape
• Street use
• Commercial activity
• Signs
• Industry
• Land use
• Infrastructure
• Public transportation
• Traffic

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Guidelines for a windshield survey

• Use a map
• If you can, try to use a team of at least two
• Drive at a moderate speed, and avoid unexpected
  actions
• Drive both on major and minor streets,
  particularly in residential neighborhoods
• Pull over at regular intervals to make and
  compare notes
• Try to be inconspicuous

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Guidelines for a walking survey

• Study a map beforehand, or do a drive-through so
  youll know where youre going.
• Again, it can be helpful to work in teams.
• If you want to experience the community, take
  part in everyday activities.
• Go inside public buildings and cultural
  institutions.
• Sit down in a quiet place to take notes.

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Windshield and walking surveys

• Sometimes, the best survey can be a combination
  of walking and driving.
• Analyze what youve seen and decide how to use
  the information.