BPI vs. CHAT-E vs. Puppet Interview (Software): Methods, Training & Digital Deployment

Written by Puppet Interview TeamUpdated

Who this is for:

Institutional buyers, such as school districts, pediatric clinics, and research teams, evaluating child-friendly survey options for ages ~4–8.

Summary

Puppet-based interviews help young children share honest answers by letting friendly characters ask the questions. This comparison covers three approaches that share that goal but differ in training needs, scalability, and digital readiness.

BPI

Research-validated, rich data; requires trained puppeteers and post-session coding.

CHAT-E

Tablet-based (animated puppets, either-or choices); minimal training; research tool.

Puppet Interview

Productized, tablet-ready survey builder with virtual puppets; self-serve deployment at scale.

1) Method Background

What they do

BPI

Pioneered the live puppet interview: two identical puppets make opposite statements and invite the child to say which is more like them. It produces credible early-childhood self-report data but relies on skilled human delivery and later coding of responses.

CHAT-E

Adapts that format into a tablet app with animated characters and a dichotomous (either-or) response. The app standardizes delivery (same script and voice every time), keeping training light and data collection structured.

Puppet Interview

Productizes the approach: animated puppets present your paired statements on a tablet; the child taps the character that's "more like me." You get clean, structured data instantly, without puppeteers or manual coding.

Want citations for IRB reviewers? See our Evidence Dossier.

2) Training & Staffing

BPI:
Requires formal training/certification to puppeteer and to code responses consistently. Sessions are typically video-recorded and coded later.
CHAT-E:
Minimal training. The app guides assessors with on-screen instructions; responses are captured in-app.
Puppet Interview:
No puppeteer required. Self-serve survey builder; built-in facilitator guidance and optional in-app child assent screens. Staff who can run a tablet can run a session.

3) Digital Deployment & Infrastructure

BPI

One-on-one, analog. To scale, you need many trained interviewers and time for coding.

CHAT-E

Research-oriented Android app; new studies typically coordinate with the developers to load custom items.

Puppet Interview

Tablet-ready; deploy across classrooms or clinics in minutes. Works offline and syncs later. Secure cloud storage, exports (CSV/JSON), and role-based access. Optional template libraries (SEL, school climate, pediatric symptoms) accelerate setup.

Key Advantages with Puppet Interview:

  • Speed to field: Build a puppet-led survey this week, with no dev queue.
  • Consistency: Identical delivery for every child; fewer rater effects.
  • Scale: Run multiple devices at once; finish whole-class surveys in a period.
  • Clean data: Structured, analysis-ready responses, with no video coding.

4) Choosing the Right Tool

Decision Guide

→
Need deep qualitative nuance and have expert staff/time → BPI.
→
Need validated method at scale in research settings → CHAT-E.
→
Need turnkey deployment on tablets, rapid iteration, and clean analytics for operations or research → Puppet Interview.
Quick Comparison Matrix
Criterion BPI CHAT-E Puppet Interview
Delivery Live puppeteer Animated tablet app Animated tablet app
Response format Open/nuanced, later coded Dichotomous either-or Dichotomous either-or
Training load High Low Very low
Self-serve authoring No Limited Yes
Scale across sites Difficult Moderate Easy
Data turnaround Slow (coding) Instant Instant

5) Next Steps & Resources

Download the IRB Language Pack

Templates for method rationale, assent, and data handling

See the Evidence Dossier

Citations for BPI/CHAT-E lineage

Learn about IRB & Consent

IRB, Consent & Child Assent UX

Request a Demo

See Puppet Interview in action

FAQ for Buyers

Is Puppet Interview compliant?

We design for FERPA/COPPA/HIPAA-conscious use cases, with secure storage and export controls. Formal compliance claims depend on your deployment and agreements.

Can we add our own items?

Yes. Use the self-serve builder with paired statements, or start from our templates (SEL, climate, symptoms).

Languages?

Multilingual voice-over support is planned; text prompts already support multiple languages.

Offline?

Yes. Collect offline and sync when connected.

What Puppet Interview adds

Puppet Interview packages the BPI method so you don't have to train interviewers or build the tablet app yourself.

Get Started →

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