If you think expertise alone rules the technical training game, you’ve got it all wrong! In this episode of Survey & Beyond: The Data Collection Podcast, host Marta Costa sits down with Maulik Chauhan, Founder of Trestle Research and India Lead at SurveyCTO, to understand what it really takes to drive successful digital transformation. Together, they explore the crucial elements of training teams for digital data collection. From practical strategies for teams with varying tech proficiency to creating effective training approaches through empathy, gradual learning paths, and organizational preparation, this episode is the guide you need if you’re looking to build sustainable and accessible data collection.

What You’ll Learn:

How to shift team mindsets by focusing on making their work easier rather than overwhelming them with technology
The "Test Tools Before Testing People" principle for successful digital transformation
How to make technical training accessible through gradual learning paths and relatable examples
The importance of creating internal "Digital Champions" to sustain long-term adoption
Why piloting is a non-negotiable and how to implement it effectively
The value of building a complete data ecosystem beyond just data collection tools
Why continuous post-training support is essential for sustainable implementation

Maulik is a digital data collection expert and trainer specializing in helping organizations transition from paper-based to digital data gathering systems. With extensive experience conducting workshops and training across international organizations, he is known for his patient, empathy-driven approach to technology adoption. His work has helped numerous field teams and program staff across different countries successfully implement digital data collection systems for sustainable and long-lasting impact.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Youtube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do this are here.

Episode Resources:

Maulik Chauhan on LinkedIn
Trestle Website
Marta Costa on LinkedIn
Dobility Website
SurveyCTO Website
2025 SurveyCTO Primary Data Collection Research Grant

Episode Highlights

0:00 Intro: Digital Training for Data Collection Teams
2:43 Why Empathy Beats Expertise in Technical Training
9:12 Understanding Your Audience Before Solutions
14:10 Making Technology Accessible Through Small Wins
19:49 Pre-Training Homework and Assessment
23:25 How Organizations Can Prepare for Digital Adoption
28:35 Test Tools Before Testing People: The Pilot Approach
31:03 How Internal ‘Digital Champions’ Save Teams
32:41 Building a Complete Data-Driven Ecosystem
36:46 Final Thoughts & Recommended Resources