Dissemination and communication as an integral part of European statistics

1. Dissemination and communication as an integral part of European statistics Seminar on emerging trends in data communication and statistics, New York 19.02.2010 Walter Radermacher / Pieter Everaers , Eurostat

2. Robert M. Pirsig:Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance Walter Radermacher

3. The art of maintaining quality in statistics Actuality Response burden Efficiency Accuracy Comparability Relevance Walter Radermacher

4. Statistics and the German State, 1900–1945: the making of modern economic knowledge, Tooze, J.A., Cambridge, 2001 • The Politics of Large Numbers– A History of Statistical Reasoning, Desrosières, A., Cambridge, Mass./ London 1998 Walter Radermacher

5. Where are we coming from – Where are we going? • „Statistics“ is the empirical branch of the science of state (German: Statistik –> Staatswissenschaften) • Official statistics (political/administrative position, working methods) reflect the development of societies in particular the specific relationship between state and citizens • Some factors create different political settings: • Constitution (democratic, authoritative) • Institutional set-up of economy (market, planification) • Society (closed/national, globalised) • Main sectors of economic production • Dynamics of structural change (slow, fast) Walter Radermacher

6. Statistics in a pre-democratic society • State = authority = single constituent = single user • Information needs defined by request of king or alternative authority • First Statistical „Authorities“ as institutions • Slow change processes (industrialisation) • Development of work system with a small scientific loading • Production in special processes; survey (obligatory response) based on authority of statistical institution • Dissemination dominated by the user „State“, general publications as by-product Walter Radermacher

7. Statistics in a democracy / global info society • State is one user as all others (“citizens first”) • Information needs defined in a dynamic and complex interaction (open platforms etc.) • Statistical “Services” • Rapid change processes, horizontal issues, cross-national phenomena • Development of work system with a very high scientific loading • Production in integrated processes; surveys limited to areas without existing data • Dissemination = Communication = public good “Statistics” Walter Radermacher

8. Statistic users and producers: Interactions Producers of statistics Users of statistics • discussion / definition • perception patterns • programmes • products work system information need conducting of processes, provision of products and services use knowledge statistical information statistical data + metadata communication Walter Radermacher

9. How are they defined? Information needs: Politics Public Opinion Statistics Science Institutionalsetup Walter Radermacher

10. Reengineering of statistical production 1:1 Stovepipes Multiple Source / Multiple Purpose Macrodata Survey Table Survey Data Ware-houses Access Survey Table Register Survey Survey Table Microdata Register Survey Table Survey Mesodata Walter Radermacher

11. Assertions: • We are not user-oriented • We have failed to take advantage of statistics as spatial information • Other people may be better than us at delivering data to users Walter Radermacher

12. 1: user orientation Dedicated sections We see..... RAMON News releases Data in Focus CODED Statistics in Focus Yearbooks Pocketbooks Data publications Leaflets Methodological publications ESMS metadata Statistics Explained Walter Radermacher

13. Metadata Explanations Analysis Explanations The user wants.... Data Walter Radermacher

14. How can we re-think our products from the user perspective? • hire non-statisticians to manage dissemination • talk to users • watch users • talk to the user helpdesks • make life easy for all users Walter Radermacher

15. Example: Statistics Explained Walter Radermacher

16. 2: statistics as spatial information Our world The physical world Walter Radermacher

17. How can we bring spatial information into our products? • if an NSI holds geo-coded data, use them in dissemination ­ and make them re-useable • Encourage and reward creative use of spatial information within your organisation Walter Radermacher

18. Example Walter Radermacher

19. 3: reusability • Opening up the data files = • users find new ways to visualise data • users find new ways to combine data • users find new ways to analyse data • Works for • spatial data • Microdata • all statistical data…. Walter Radermacher

20. “Cooked” “Raw” Walter Radermacher

21. What can we do? • Simple: a collection of files on an accessible server • Advanced: use SDMX • Make sure users can find easily documents to explain what is in the data and how to access them Walter Radermacher

22. Why is SDMX important here? • common data model for many kinds of statistics • unified system for data and metadata • rich set of re-useable software for processing and visualising data Walter Radermacher

23. Example of shareable SDMX-based visualisation tool – the ECB inflation dashboard Walter Radermacher

24. 3 assertions – 1 common thread User orientation Spatial data Reuseability Dissemination = opening up the value inherent in our data Walter Radermacher

25. Thank you for your attention! walter.radermacher@ec.europa.eu http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat