Custom Application Development & Support

In designing the systems solution for each initiative, Westat emphasizes technological accessibility, usable interfaces, comprehensive testing and certification prior to release, and a user support and training plan that accommodates disparate skill levels and remote locations.

Westat has developed many proprietary software products to support its survey processes and analyses, including the following

  • Cheshire® is a CAI and survey database management system developed by Westat. Cheshire provides a flexible feature-rich platform that supports the development of large and complex telephone survey instruments.
  • Basic Field Operations System (BFOS) manages all aspects of CAI with seamless integration to Blaise and Cheshire, and supports audio computer-assisted self-interviewing (ACASI).
  • Biospecimen and Environmental Sample Tracking (BEST) software is a comprehensive web-based solution used to manage the life cycle of biospecimens and environmental samples.
  • WesTrax® is an interactive voice response (IVR) and interactive web response (IWR) system. It provides the logistical support that is an important component of a clinical development program. WesTrax can be used for patient randomization and enrollment services, as well as clinical supply management.
  • Study Tracking and Review System (STaRS) is a web-based system for our clients to manage the receipt, review, and approval of requests to use study data and specimens. It will also manage the attendant publications, presentations, and adjunct studies. The system guides investigators in submitting proposals and provides tools to assist reviewers, senior program managers, and administrative staff in tracking progress from the initial application through closeout/publication.
  • Case Management and Protocol Workflow (CMPW) Suite is a comprehensive set of configurable tools designed to manage study activities, including recruitment, participant registration and tracking, protocol workflow, and data collection. CMPW consists of several modules that can be used separately or together as needed depending on a study’s protocol and data collection modes. It includes modules designed for call center management and asynchronous field management, as well as overarching study, substudy, and participant tracking and management.
  • WesPSU will form primary sampling units (PSUs) from adjacent counties, within user-specified hard boundaries, with respect to a particular objective function and within specified constraints, using one of several optimization approaches. Westat identifies the contiguous counties from U.S. Census Bureau mapping files and uses either the travel distance calculated from points of latitude and longitude or square mileage in the objective function and/or constraints.
  • WesSeg will combine blocks within PSUs, as necessary, to satisfy the constraints indicated by the algorithm controllers. Blocks will be combined until either a user-specified minimum measure of size for the segment is reached or until blocks can no longer be combined without violating the conditions indicated by the collapsing controllers. WesSeg will always try to stay within a Census Bureau block group when forming segments. More geographically compact segments are formed as a result.
  • WesSamp is a SAS macro that will draw samples based on user specifications. The macro is designed primarily for stratified systematic sampling with random starts and unequal probabilities.
  • WesDeck is an internal imputation software for conducting hot-deck imputation. WesDeck has three main advantages: (1) it controls the multiple use of donors, (2) it is flexible in expanding the donor pool, and (3) the impute values are always plausible values.
  • WesWgt is a system of standardized software for preparing nonresponse adjusted and poststratified replicate weights. The software is general enough to handle most survey weighting and variance estimation jobs. The system was written as a series of SAS macros that are flexible, yet easy to use. They have significantly reduced the time needed for the development of adjusted replicate weights and have improved the quality of the operation.

SAS Alliance Partnership