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The FUMI Survey documentation describes a mixed-methods research project focusing on migration aspirations among young adults (18–39) in Serekunda (The Gambia), Tema (Ghana), and São Vicente (Cape Verde). The report details the design of a respondent-centred survey instrument, the three-step random sampling process used to reach 1,000 individuals per city, and the rigorous quality assurance measures implemented, including audio recordings and back-checks. It further explains the data cleaning workflows, the application of household and individual weights to correct for sampling biases, and the creation of a Composite Wealth Index using polychoric principal component analysis of assets and socio-economic indicators. The document also identifies specific coding errors that led to data gaps in variables related to passports, visas, and household contributions.

The document provides a systematic analysis of how to measure people's thoughts and feelings about migrating. It introduces a conceptual model that deconstructs survey questions into five components: nature of the mindset, temporality of the mindset, nature of the action, temporality of the action, and conditionality. Through a review of over 50 surveys and field testing in Cabo Verde, the author argues that binary questions are generally more reliable than open-ended or scale-based ones and emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between preferences, expectations, and considerations of migration.