Page 112 - Anthropometry, Apparel Sizing and Design

National size and shape surveys for apparel design 75

data collection center—health and safety issues for subjects and team;
l
subject registration—questionnaire and measurement briefing papers, preparation for scan-
l
ning procedures, and processing sequence;
physical training—team presentations, instructions for logistic software and manual mea-
l
surement, equipment and scanning system procedures, videos of subject processing, and care
and maintenance.
The number of teams and selected scanner would determine the number of days
required for training, although the aim would be to ensure that all team members
would be multiskilled and hence able to:

l prepare, maintain, and derig a venue;
l welcome, brief, and guide subjects through each stage of a measuring process;
l ensure subjects prepared for measuring process;
l use and maintain all measuring equipment;
l evaluate the capture and accuracy of all manual measurements (i.e., intra- and inter-
validation, where necessary);
l assess accuracy of 3-D scan images and the extracted measurements;
l record and store data in accordance with chosen system;
l prepare for the next session and/or derig the venue.

3.4.3 Implementation
Effective recruitment, scheduling, processing, and tracking of subjects are vital to the
success of the data collection process, as is the need to ensure the quality of the shape
and size data before its automatic uploading to a logistics software system.

3.4.3.1 Recruitment

Having determined some of the key issues in the preparation made for the conduct of a
size and shape survey, the success of data collection will depend on having recruited
sufficient and appropriate subjects at each venue. Given public interest in clothes
sizing, a national survey receives massive amounts of free publicity with a consequent
surge in the number of volunteers coming forward to be measured. For example, with
SizeUK, 17,000 individuals registered interest through a dedicated website; 11,000
returned registration information and a questionnaire through retail outlets; and, in
response to mail shots, 20,000 people telephoned the helpline established for the pur-
pose. However, with subject registration being processed through a central system,
daily lists of subjects for each venue/center/unit can be generated well in advance
of data collection scheduling.

3.4.3.2 Scheduling
The most straightforward but time-consuming method of collecting data is to have one
team to visit all centers, as this only involves recruiting one set of subjects at a time and
the same team to set up and take down the set of equipment. If, however, there are to be
multiple data collection teams, then a more complex scheduling is required to ensure
the transport and installation of equipment and the availability of technical support.