Survloop Open Data Engine
Rockhopper Software's
data management system creates, fills, and shares complex databases
In 2015, Rockhopper launched Survloop, a custom-built engine designed to manage complex databases and generate dynamic surveys and reports. Over time, Survloop expanded into a full-fledged content management system for data-centric websites.
Today, Survloop powers advanced projects that require flexible, customized data handling — from research tools to survey-driven platforms to internal workflow engines.
If your project demands deep data integration or highly customized workflows, Survloop may be the foundation that gives your software a strategic advantage — backed by a partner who knows it inside and out.
Back in the day we created database tables, queries, forms, reports, and pages with Microsoft AccessTM. This is a full content management system that can generate mobile-friendly forms as complex as TurboTaxTM.
Translating each data field's meaning as you build your database, means computer-friendly API data listings and schema can be auto-generated once you start collecting data.
Because the tools to create complex forms continue to become more useful, it was a logical next step to reuse them to generate complex pages for the rest of a website's main content. Survloop's content management system is still fairly basic, but very effective and flexible for Rockhopper Software.
A theme is branching trees, in many directions. Fractals are natural and fun.
Survloop Origins
This started as a database design system developed to plan the OpenPolice.org web app. It was built to track thorough database specifications. We spent six months just designing the database of a few hundred possible questions which should probably be asked of victims of police misconduct.
Once we finally had a grapple on what to ask, Rockhopper started mocking up what the survey could look like. Attracted to the usefulness of integrating a survey engine with the database design tools, and without significant funding for the project, we started building out Survloop.
The data being stored would be more sensitive and important than most projects. So we had to build atop a trusted coding framework, and are delighted that we chose to learn Laravel!
