We’ve conducted many projects, large and small, in a variety of industries.
Many of our projects are ‘greenfield’ in nature.
We apply the right tools to get the job done or develop the methodology to suit your research needs.
Personal wellbeing index (PWI) project
From 2001 to 2005, Erik was co-author of the Personal Wellbeing Index with the Australian Centre on Quality of Life at Deakin University.
The index measures the subjective wellbeing of Australians and is ongoing to this day.
Erik was involved in the project from inception and was responsible for developing the research sample design, questionnaire design and scale validation for this multi-million dollar project.
Healthcare, aged care, disability and patient satisfaction
- National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) (2022) – Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) accessibility. A series of online focus groups of persons with a disability obtaining their feedback / experiences on the availability of RAT tests and other related matters.
- Preventative Health Survey (2021) – A population health survey conducted during the COVID-19 restriction period for a large Victorian City council; n=1,500, 20-minute CATI interviews. Akerstream provided consultation services for survey design, questionnaire design and reporting. An independent fieldwork provider conducted telephone interviewing; ASDF provided programming system support, analytics and questionnaire design input. A very successful and robust partnership with excellent expertise and built-in redundancy during a challenging time in the pandemic.
- “Health Care & Insurance Australia” – Erik was project Director of this major health syndicated report subscribed to by private health funds, State and Federal government departments of health. Massive n=5,000 CATI interviews 28 minutes each over 200 questions, included split sampling methodologies. Report over 900 pages. Referred to as the bible in the industry to this day.
- Department of Veterans Affairs – Veteran’s hospital patient satisfaction survey (n=40,000) paper survey with web completion option. Three year contract.
- Australian Medical Association – Communication of Informed Financial Consent (IFC)
- Department of Health and Ageing – Informed Financial Consent – Used to gauge the level of informed financial consent provided by doctors to patients in hospital settings. This had significant legislative and communications implications for the Australian health industry.
- Private Health Insurance Administration Council (PHIAC) – Stakeholder feedback – informed regulatory decisions based on feedback from regulated entities – large communications implications.
- Department of Health and Human Services (Vic) – Perceptions of harmfulness of tobacco ingredients as presented in visual media and on tobacco product packaging. Focus groups conducted around Victoria involving all ages, including high school aged youth.
- Australian Unity – Retirement Village Resident satisfaction survey – developed survey from the ground up using qual to guide questionnaire design
Regulatory
- DELWP Council Digital Audit – 2021: A state government funded project assessing digital capabilities in 79 participating Victorian councils.
- WorkSafe Victoria – Client satisfaction monitor. A very large project involving over 12,000 injured workers. Erik was the account manager to Worksafe for this project and undertook a complete redesign of the survey and reporting outputs.
- WorkCover NSW – 7 projects in tight timeframes involving telephone, online as well as qualitative research. (n=20,000) – used to guide regulatory structure and gauge effectiveness of rule changes.
- Consumer Affairs Victoria – A survey based study quantifying the extent of consumer detriment in the Victorian community.
- ASIC – Complaints process satisfaction research.
Immigration
- Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) – Irregular maritime arrivals (IMA) experiences in detention (asylum seekers) – interviewing asylum seekers in detention centers around Australia including Christmas Island
- Erik was a key consultant in the team that conducted the fieldwork component of the project with IMA’s in detention centers around Australia including Christmas Island. ASR interviewed over 150 IMAs in sometimes high security surroundings as well over 140 detention centre staff (DIAC, IHMS & SERCO) and external stakeholders.
- DIAC – Family Migration – ASR and Australian National University (ANU) developed the family migration survey directed at the partners of skilled, family and humanitarian primary applicants.
Transport
- V/Line – Customer Experience Assessment (2022) – Involves in person fieldwork audits of all V/Line train stations.
- Yarra Trams – Research Conducted for the bid for the Victorian Government Contract to Run Melbourne’s Tram Services to 2020.
- Department of Premier and Cabinet for the Department of Transport (Vic)– Public Perception of Proposed Infrastructure Plans for Victoria – Large mixed methodologies project obtaining community feedback on proposed infrastructure plans. Results used in communications.
- Department of Transport – SmartBus evaluation and customer satisfaction.
Community Perception
- ACT Government – Stromlo Forest Park visitors’ survey. – A large mixed methodologies project Erik led that was used to priorities a proposed $50 million redevelopment of the sporting park.
- Department of Premier and Cabinet (Vic) – Community expectations research – communications focused on perceived trade-offs between environment and the economy.
- Department of Justice (Vic) – Review and redesign of the Perceptions of Justice Survey
- Australian federal Police (AFP) – Community perceptions survey (2018) – results used to shape public communications.
- NSW Legal Aid – Redevelopment of their customer satisfaction survey (n=1,500 CATI).
- Various city council community surveys – CATI & Online (n=800 to 1000 per survey).
- NSW Sydney Catchment Management Authority (SMCMA) – Catchment Action Plan Feedback survey.
Education & employment
- Department of Foreign affairs and Trade – Colombo plan student survey – A mixed methodology research piece into students satisfaction and feedback on their sponsored sabbaticals overseas in the indo-pacific regions.
- University of Sydney Student Alumni Census – This project involved a paper (140,000 alumni) and online (95,000 alumni) methodology. Used to guide philanthropic activity.
- UNSW University Student Alumni Census – Similar to the University of Sydney Alumni project (above), in terms of methodology, sample size and ultimate use of the research.
- Universities Australia – Student finances survey – The Universities Australia Student Finances Survey was used to identify student financial matters affecting tertiary study Australia wide.
- Christian Schools Association – Data collection CATI & Online (n=4,000) of 25-39 year old experiences in secondary college.
- Department of Education Science and Training – International Student satisfaction Survey
- Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations – Review of the use and functionality of the jobseeker website – Extensive reviews in a computer lab and focus group setting conducted in regional and urban areas Australia wide.
Business & consumer
- Hunter water – Customer segmentation.
- Department of Innovation Industry Science & Research (DIISR) – Small business online program feedback survey.
- Smorgon family – Market Scoping for Employer supplied Health/Wellbeing/Screening services in Australia.
Local government
The following projects were done in partnership with other independent research organisations:
- City of Bayside – Domestic animal management plan (2021)
- South Gippsland Shire – Community Profile (2021)
- Shire of Nillumbik – Community profile (2021)
- City of Greater Geelong – Population health survey (2021)
- City of Mildura – Community vision 2040 (2021)
- DELWP – Local Council planning digital audit (2021)
- Moreland City Council – Household census (2021)
- Moreland City Council – Community Indicators Survey (2018)
- Mornington and Peninsula Shire Council – Community survey on capital works project (2018)
- City of Darebin – Darebin expenditure budget feedback survey (2018)
- City of Ballarat – Community perceptions survey (2018)
- City of Yarra – Aged & Disability Care Survey (LOTE) (2018)
Call us or email…
Erik Okerstrom
M:0412 885 863
E: erik@akerstream.com
Market research, Melbourne.