Appendix B • Quantitative Instrument

STAFF SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE

Approx. 10 - 15 Mins

This questionnaire is part of a Master’s research study on "Developing a Secure Framework for Data Integrity and Management Systems within the UPDF Directorate of Veterans Affairs". Your responses are strictly confidential, anonymous, and will be analyzed in aggregate for academic purposes only.

Section 1: Demographic & Professional Profile

General background information to contextualize survey findings

1.1 Gender *

Male Female

1.2 Age Bracket *

1.3 Highest Level of Education *

1.4 Department / Functional Unit *

1.5 Job Role / Designation Category *

1.6 Length of Service in DVA / UPDF *

1.7 Frequency of Interacting with Veteran Data *

1.8 Duty Station Location *

Section 2: Technical Infrastructure & Current Systems

Assessment of current hardware, software, and storage arrangements

2.1 Primary Record Keeping Mode in your Department *

2.2 Primary Data Storage Location *

2.3 System Stability & Uptime Rating *

2.4 Network Connectivity & Bandwidth Reliability *

2.5 Backup Frequency for Digital Records *

2.6 Hardware Adequacy (Computers, Scanners, UPS) *

Section 3: Data Integrity & Quality Challenges (Objective 1)

Rate the frequency of data integrity problems encountered in your workflow

Scale: 1 = Never, 2 = Rarely, 3 = Sometimes, 4 = Often, 5 = Very Frequently / Daily

Data Integrity Issue Statement	1 Never	2 Rarely	3 Sometimes	4 Often	5 Very Freq.
3.1 Duplicate veteran records or conflicting files for the same individual
3.2 Missing records, missing physical files, or unlocated pension documents
3.3 Unauthorized alterations, tampering, or undetected changes in records
3.4 Data entry errors, typing mistakes, or transcription inaccuracies
3.5 Significant delay in searching for and retrieving veteran information
3.6 Inconsistent data formats between departments (e.g. Pensions vs Records)
3.7 Inability to trace who made a change, when it was made, or why (no audit trail)

Additional Comments on Data Integrity Challenges:

Section 4: Information Security & Access Controls (Objective 1)

Rate your agreement regarding security safeguards currently enforced at DVA

Scale: 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Neutral / Not Sure, 4 = Agree, 5 = Strongly Agree

Security Practice Statement	1 SD	2 D	3 N	4 A	5 SA
4.1 Strong password policies (minimum length, complexity, regular expiry) are strictly enforced
4.2 Access to sensitive veteran data is strictly restricted by official job role (Role-Based Access)
4.3 Systems maintain tamper-proof audit trails logging every user login, view, and record edit
4.4 Sensitive data in databases and in transit is protected using strong encryption standards
4.5 Physical storage rooms, registries, and paper files are securely locked with restricted key access
4.6 There is a clear formal procedure for reporting and investigating data breaches / security incidents
4.7 Remote access from regional offices or off-site locations is protected via secure VPN / 2FA

Known Security Incidents or Vulnerabilities:

Section 5: Operational & Service Delivery Consequences (Objective 2)

How do data errors and system limitations impact veterans and daily staff operations?

Scale: 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Neutral, 4 = Agree, 5 = Strongly Agree

Operational Impact Statement	1 SD	2 D	3 N	4 A	5 SA
5.1 Data errors and missing files lead to severe delays in calculating and disbursing veteran pensions
5.2 Lack of data verification causes mistaken benefit payments or wrong beneficiary identification
5.3 Service delays due to data retrieval issues cause veteran frustration and loss of institutional trust
5.4 Staff spend excessive working hours manually cross-checking paper files to reconcile data
5.5 Staff frequently rely on informal workarounds (personal flash drives, paper notes) to get work done
5.6 Unreliable, fragmented data hinders executive forecasting, budget planning, and decision-making

Specific Operational Examples:

Section 6: Interoperability & Inter-Agency Data Exchange

External data sharing with MoFPED (IFMS), Ministry of Health, and UPDF Headquarters

6.1 Which external government entities does your unit exchange data with? (Select all that apply)

MoFPED / IFMS (Finance & Pensions) Ministry of Health (Medical Records) UPDF GHQs / Defence Ministry

6.2 Primary Transfer Method

6.3 Data Delay Severity Rating

6.4 Perceived Security Risk in Transit

Section 7: Cybersecurity Awareness & Capacity Building

Evaluating institutional readiness and training requirements

7.1 Have you received formal Cybersecurity / Data Integrity training in the past 2 years? *

7.2 Awareness of Uganda Data Protection & Privacy Act 2019 *

7.3 Awareness of NITA-U National Information Security Framework *

7.4 Urgency of Role-Specific Cybersecurity Training *

7.5 Preferred Training Topics for DVA Personnel:

Section 8: Recommendations for the Proposed Secure Framework (Objective 4)

Your expert suggestions on what the new system must deliver

8.1 In your view, what should be the HIGHEST priority feature in the proposed secure framework?

8.2 Must-Have Functional Requirements or Safeguards:

8.3 General Comments or Advice to Directorate Leadership:

Ready for Submission

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