Abstract: A survey system and method is described wherein multiple instances or versions of a survey may be defined and data from survey instances may be retained in a cohesive data, or knowledge, base. Each survey version may comprise different sets of questions and different types of answers to the questions. The schema and survey instances may be generated in a computer system implementing embodiments of the present invention. One or more graphical user interfaces is generated by computer programs that facilitate the creation of a survey schema and survey instance from the survey schema as well as capture survey responses. Graphical user interfaces (GUIs) may be used to define, or modify, survey instances and survey schema(s) as well as capture survey data. A change to an element of a survey schema is reflected in a survey instance that includes the element.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is described wherein survey data collected from different survey versions may be retained in a cohesive data, or knowledge, base that may be used to catalogue multimedia data. A survey schema is defined that comprises survey elements that may be used to define surveys and capture survey data. In one or more embodiments of the invention, survey data may be linked to a multimedia cataloguing system. The linked survey data may be used alone or in combination with the cataloguing system to retrieve multimedia data.