By: David Bogner
The article first appeared at: https://wunderbyte.at/en/2024/11/19/innovative-survey-chatbot-for-project-opush/
The OPUSH project has taken a significant step forward in digital interaction by launching a new, custom-built “Survey Chatbot” designed for Telegram. Developed in collaboration between the University of Barcelona, Wunderbyte, and TU Wien, the chatbot allows users to respond to surveys directly via Telegram, seamlessly integrating with LimeSurvey — a widely used open-source survey platform. Wunderbyte, also a project partner, led the technical development and programming of the chatbot.
In an earlier phase of the project, individual heat stories were collected at various workshops in Vienna. The people involved were pensioners aged 78-82. These micro-stories were evaluated and used for the chatbot pilot. The aim of the chatbot is the systemic data evaluation of the experiences entered into the chatbot.
Survey Chatbot: Features and Functionality
The Survey Chatbot was crafted with OPUSH’s specific needs in mind. It operates by connecting to LimeSurvey, retrieving survey questions using a designated survey ID, and presenting each question individually to users within the Telegram chat. User responses are then recorded back into LimeSurvey, enabling streamlined and efficient data collection. Key features include a MULTI_VOTE configuration option, which allows survey administrators to control whether users can submit multiple responses.
The chatbot is written in Python, which ensures compatibility with LimeSurvey and simplifies survey management. LimeSurvey itself offers a flexible solution for designing and managing surveys, polls, and questionnaires, making it an ideal pairing for this Telegram-based chatbot.
Development and Testing Milestones
During the second year of the OPUSH project, developers at Wunderbyte worked intensively on the chatbot, collaborating closely with future.lab at TU Wien, the project’s lead partner. This partnership involved regular feedback and revisions to ensure that the tool met all project requirements.
In late March 2024, the chatbot, along with its technical requirements, was successfully installed on TU Wien’s servers. The on-site training session conducted for the TU Wien team covered essential skills, including adding and updating LimeSurvey surveys through the chatbot interface. During testing, identified errors were rectified, and the multivote feature was finalized.
Open-Source Release and Access of the Survey Chatbot
In line with OPUSH’s commitment to open-source development, the code for the Survey Chatbot, developed by Wunderbyte, is now publicly accessible on GitHub under an open software license. Interested developers, project partners, and institutions can explore and implement the tool from the official repository: https://github.com/WunderbyteGmbH/survey_chatbot.
Technical Requirements:
- Python version: 3.9 or higher
- LimeSurvey: Installed with an active survey
This innovative tool marks a new phase in OPUSH’s efforts to enhance user engagement through streamlined, accessible digital solutions, opening up possibilities for versatile, real-time data collection on popular platforms like Telegram.