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Current Practices in Data Dissemination Jacob Assa, UN Statistics Division

Current Practices in Data Dissemination Jacob Assa, UN Statistics Division. Regional Workshop on Data Management. Kampala, Uganda October 26 – 28, 2009. United Nations Statistics Division 2009. Three Dimensions of Data Dissemination. 1. Organizational 1.1 Communication strategy

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Current Practices in Data Dissemination Jacob Assa, UN Statistics Division

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  1. Current Practices in Data Dissemination Jacob Assa, UN Statistics Division Regional Workshop on Data Management Kampala, Uganda October 26 – 28, 2009 United Nations Statistics Division 2009

  2. Three Dimensions of Data Dissemination 1. Organizational 1.1 Communication strategy 1.2 Marketing 1.3 Centralized vs. decentralized 2. Technical 2.1 Infrastructure 2.2 Standards 2.3 Medium of communication 3. Interactive 3.1 One-way vs. two-way 3.2 Proactive dissemination 3.3 Customized services 3.4 Capturing user feedback

  3. 1. Organizational Issues 1.1 Communication strategy (1) - Overview • Many organizations disseminate statistics without a clear strategy • Dissemination is thus seen as a residual, not an integral, part of the process • “A statistical agency that lacks a well-defined dissemination policy risks losing its credibility as an independent agent.” (Handbook of Statistical Organization, 3rd ed., UNSD 2003)

  4. 1. Organizational Issues Communication Strategy (2) - Essential Elements • Transparency • UN Handbook: “a release schedule that treats all constituencies equally, defined well in advance” • IMF SDDS: • “advance dissemination of release calendars” • “simultaneous release to all interested parties” • Clarity • Identify information to be made available (“what”) • Identify differential user needs (“to whom”) • Costpolicy • To charge or not to charge

  5. 1. Organizational Issues Communication Strategy (3) - Free vs. charge • Statistics as a public good • IF everything is free, what incentive for continuous development? • Paying customers more likely to react • When something is wrong • When they have comments • Forces NSO to improve or lose customers • Charging enables a bigger marketing budget • Compromise – a combined approach • Basic statistical service free on the web, media • Charge for advanced, customized services

  6. 1. Organizational Issues 1.2 Marketing • The statistical value process does not end in production • Push vs. pull modes • Traditionally – users searching for data, self-service websites (passive dissemination) • Emerging– pushing data (proactive dissemination) • Cooperation with sales section • Conflict of interests? • Active vs. passive

  7. 1. Organizational Issues 1.3 Centralized vs. decentralized (1) • Advantages of centralization • A single unit can attract specialists combining their expertise • Effectiveness will depend on level of influence in management structure • Economies of scale – increasing possibilities for running important development projects • Disadvantages of centralization • A large unit  operational nature  marginalization (top management interested in strategy more than operations) • Communication problems with subject-matter statisticians (who are usually more conservative)

  8. 1. Organizational Issues 1.3 Centralized vs. decentralized (2) • Users increasingly want data across subject areas (e.g. on areas, subgroups or particular industries). • Use of standards and strict application of corporate branding • Data management efficiency

  9. 2. Technical Issues 2.1 Infrastructure • Technical infrastructure • Hardware • Software • Staff • The level of infrastructure depends on what is disseminated… • printed publications and static webpage • online databases and web services • …and to whom • serving a few well-defined clients with regular reports • opening up to the general public

  10. 2. Technical Issues 2.2 Standards (1) - IMF • Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS) • Countries with or seeking access to intl. capital markets • Guide provision of economic and financial data • As of June 2008, 64 subscribers • General Data Dissemination System (GDDS) • Countries with less developed statistical systems • A framework for evaluating needs for data improvement and setting priorities • As of June 2008, 92 subscribers • Expected to enhance the availability of timely and comprehensive statistics… • …and therefore contribute to the pursuit of sound macroeconomic policies

  11. 2. Technical Issues 2.2 Standards (2) - SDMX • What is it? • An initiative to foster standards for the electronic exchange of statistical information • Goal - explore e-standards that could increase efficiency gains and avoid duplication • Sponsored by BIS, ECB, EUROSTAT, IMF, OECD, UN, WB • What it is not • Not a technology…but implemented using technology (e.g. XML) • How does it work? • Exchange partners agree on Data Structure Definitions • Data and metadata exported and imported accordingly

  12. 2. Technical Issues 2.3 Medium of communication (1) Most organizations use a mix of different dissemination modes: • Print - bulletins, yearbooks, specialized brochures • Static electronic - CD-ROM, PDF files, HTML web pages • Dynamic electronic – online data services, RSS, SMS • User-interactive – customizable charts, graphs and maps, Social visualization websites

  13. 2. Technical Issues 2.3 Medium of communication (2) • Many NSOs offer online databases, where users • Query and download data • Create tables, charts or maps online • Concerns about giving users too much control • Users can produce nonsensical charts or maps • Inappropriate correlations • Confidentiality concerns • To minimize potential problems • Provide critical metadata • Offer support • Monitor misuse

  14. 3. Interactive Issues 3.1 One-way vs. two-way communication (1) Considerable evolution of statistical communication over recent years • Traditionally, statistical organizations focused on • Dissemination • One-way communication through few media channels • Newspapers • Radio Television • Since 1990s, acknowledged need to do more than just disseminate data • Employing communication professionals • Widespread use of the Internet • New methods of communication and dissemination • Increased numbers and diversity of end-users.

  15. 3. Interactive Issues 3.1 One-way vs. two-way (2) • Web 2.0 technologies • Blogs • Wikis • Social networks • Interactive websites • Allow users to upload data and create graphs • Sharing and discussion with other users • Increased risks of attacks by special interest groups on ideological rather than scientific grounds • Careful management • Monitoring

  16. 3. Interactive Issues 3.1 One-way vs. two-way (example) OECD and Swivel • Why? • Make statistics useful • Reach a wider audience • Outcomes • Significant traffic • Many comments • Lessons learned • Very different expectations from different user groups • Content need to be adapted for web publication

  17. 3. Interactive Issues 3.1 One-way vs. two-way – OECD

  18. 3. Interactive Issues 3.2 Proactive dissemination (1) • “Push” vs. “Pull” • Traditional websites use “Pull” – the user looks for data • Some recent approaches use “Push” – RSS, broadcasting • E.g. RSS ("Really Simple Syndication“) • users subscribe for updates • information sent regularly or when changes occur • can be published through • cell phones text message • email messages • news headlines • audio and video • standardized format (using XML)

  19. 3. Interactive Issues 3.2 Proactive dissemination (2) - Example US Federal Reserve • Choice of content and scope • Large content “harvested” by automated processes • One or two numbers (e.g. exchange rates) • Real-time updates • Instant access • Latest information • Traditionally • formatted HTML for humans • SDMX for machines • Alternative • RSS report for machines (XML) • RSS title for humans: US: 10.6925 MXN = 1 USD 2008-03-28 NYFed noon buying

  20. 3. Interactive Issues 3.3 Customized services Enable the user to dynamically modify output • Select and combine pieces of data • Choose and customize charts and maps • Create and save a personalized URL

  21. 3. Interactive Issues 3.3 Customized services example– WHO GIMS

  22. 3. Interactive Issues 3.4 Capturing user feedback • Why? • To evaluate quality • To guide expansion path • How? • Surveys • Passive – as part of the website • Active – mailing or email • Focus groups • Analysis • User satisfaction – overall and specific aspects • Changes in demand (more/new data, features) • User views on relevance (e.g. variables included or not included on databases or in tables) • User feedback on classifications used

  23. 2. Technical Issues 2.6 Example - UNdata

  24. 2. Technical Issues 2.6 Example - UNdata

  25. Resources • UNSD - Handbook of Statistical Organization(3rd ed.)http://unstats.un.org/unsd/dnss/hb/default.aspx • UNECE - Making Data Meaningful (2 parts) http://www.unece.org/stats/documents/writing/ • SDMX - http://sdmx.org/ Contacts United Nations Statistics Hotline - statistics@un.org Jacob Assa, UNSD - assaj@un.org

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