Transcript United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Statistical Division Data Management and Dissemination Tools and Systems UNECE Training Workshop on Dissemination of MDG Indicators and Statistical.

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
Statistical Division
Data Management and
Dissemination Tools and Systems
UNECE Training Workshop on Dissemination of
MDG Indicators and Statistical Information
Astana, Kazakhstan 23 – 25 November 2009
Steven Vale, UNECE
Contents
Data management in the statistical
production process
 How are data currently disseminated?
 Advantages and disadvantages of
different approaches
 Good practices

06 November 2015
Steven Vale - UNECE Statistical Division
Slide 2
Statistical Production Process

Modelling production processes in statistical
organisations started at least 10 years ago
“Statistical value chain”
• “Survey life-cycle”
• “Statistical process cycle”
•
Generic Statistical Business Process Model
Developed by the UNECE Group on Statistical Metadata
Steven Vale - UNECE Statistical Division
Slide 3
Structure of the Model (1)
Process
Phases
Subprocesses
(Descriptions)
Steven Vale - UNECE Statistical Division
Slide 4
Structure of the Model (2)
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National implementations may need
additional levels
Over-arching processes
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Quality management
Metadata management
Statistical framework management
Statistical programme management
........
Steven Vale - UNECE Statistical Division
Slide 5
Why do we Need a Model?
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To define and describe statistical
processes in a coherent way
To standardize process terminology
To compare / benchmark processes within
and between organisations
To facilitate statistical software sharing
To help manage process quality
Steven Vale - UNECE Statistical Division
Slide 6
Standardized process descriptions
Harmonised processes
Rationalization of software
Use of open source and shared components
SDMX between components
Convergence of business architectures
Steven Vale - UNECE Statistical Division
Slide 7
Key features
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Not a linear model
Sub-processes do not have to be followed
in a strict order
It is a matrix, through which there are many
possible paths, including iterative loops
within and between phases
Some iterations of a regular process may
skip certain sub-processes
Steven Vale - UNECE Statistical Division
Slide 8
Applicability (1)
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All activities undertaken by producers of
official statistics which result in data outputs
National and international statistical
organisations
Independent of data source, can be used for:
•
Surveys / censuses
• Administrative sources / register-based statistics
• Mixed sources
Steven Vale - UNECE Statistical Division
Slide 10
Applicability (2)
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Producing statistics from raw data
(micro or macro-data)
Revision of existing data / re-calculation
of time-series
Development and maintenance of
statistical registers
Steven Vale - UNECE Statistical Division
Slide 11
Dissemination Practices
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Web sites of statistical agencies for all
56 UNECE member countries checked
during spring 2008.
Data dissemination systems and formats
recorded.
Not possible to check all national
language versions of websites.
06 November 2015
Steven Vale - UNECE Statistical Division
Slide 12
Results
Number of
Countries
%
Static html / pdf / word pages
29
51.8%
Excel spreadsheets
12
21.4%
National database software
17
30.4%
PC-Axis
12
21.4%
Statbank / PC-Axis
3
5.4%
SuperWEB
2
3.6%
Internet Dissemination Tools
06 November 2015
Steven Vale - UNECE Statistical Division
Slide 13
Static html / pdf / word Pages
06 November 2015
Steven Vale - UNECE Statistical Division
Slide 14
Static html / pdf / word Pages

Advantages
•
Quick, easy and cheap to prepare
• Data at a glance
• Possible to combine tables, graphics and text
• Html and pdf viewers are free
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Disadvantages
•
Only a picture - users can not easily download
or manipulate data
• Manual updates
06 November 2015
Steven Vale - UNECE Statistical Division
Slide 15
Excel Spreadsheets
06 November 2015
Steven Vale - UNECE Statistical Division
Slide 16
Excel Spreadsheets

Advantages
•
Users can download and customize data
• Most common format for basic data analysis
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Disadvantages
•
Excel software is not cheap!
• Manual updates
• User has to download the whole file
06 November 2015
Steven Vale - UNECE Statistical Division
Slide 17
Output Databases
06 November 2015
Steven Vale - UNECE Statistical Division
Slide 18
Output Databases

Advantages
•
Interactive with flexible outputs
• User friendly (usually!)
• Can be tailored to national requirements
• Some generic systems available
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Disadvantages
•
Can be expensive to develop and maintain,
particularly if you develop your own system
06 November 2015
Steven Vale - UNECE Statistical Division
Slide 19
What Do Users Want?
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Depends on the type of user
Quick access to key figures
Options to select and manipulate data
Easy export to own analysis packages
Graphic visualizations (maps, charts, ..)
Appropriate metadata
Multiple languages
06 November 2015
Steven Vale - UNECE Statistical Division
Slide 20
How Do We Know This?
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Ask the users!
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User surveys (more about this tomorrow)
User feedback forms
User forums
…
Steven Vale - UNECE Statistical Division
Slide 21
Good Practices
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Static tables can be useful for key figures
For detailed or large datasets, allow users
to create and manipulate their own tables
Store data as multi-dimensional cubes
Offer graphic visualizations
Allow users to download data in a range
of formats (including SDMX)
06 November 2015
Steven Vale - UNECE Statistical Division
Slide 22
Good Practices (2)
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Link data and metadata
Share development in an open-source
environment or network, with an electronic
forum for discussions and questions
Don’t try to re-invent the wheel!
06 November 2015
Steven Vale - UNECE Statistical Division
Slide 23
Thank you for listening
Questions?
06 November 2015
Steven Vale - UNECE Statistical Division
Slide 24