United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Statistical Division Why is disseminating Millennium Development Goal indicators important? Why should dissemination be proactive? Training Workshop on Disseminating MDG Indicators.
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United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Statistical Division Why is disseminating Millennium Development Goal indicators important? Why should dissemination be proactive? Training Workshop on Disseminating MDG Indicators and Statistical Information Astana, Kazakhstan, 23-25 November 2009 Petteri Baer, Regional Adviser, UNECE …and the same goes for MDG Indicators… 23.11.2009 Only used statistical information is useful statistical information! Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 2 Who needs MDG Indicators & statistical information? Decision makers • • • • 23.11.2009 In Business In Administration In Politics The Policy Cycle Research and Educational Institutions The Media Citizens NGOs… Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 3 What do we mean by the Policy Cycle? 23.11.2009 Policy is “a course or principle of action adopted by a government, party, business or individual” Policies may aim to retain the status quo or implement a programme of reform or change In reality, the policy cycle is often a messy process Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 4 What is a Policy Cycle? Policy and strategy Setting objectives Analysis Results oriented, evidence-based Costing programmes policy making Monitoring and evaluation 23.11.2009 Implementation Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 5 What is an effective and efficient Policy Cycle? 23.11.2009 Know clearly where we are: analysis Know where we want to go: objectives Understand the steps needed to get there: policies and strategies Capacity to follow the steps: sound implementation procedures Know where we are at any time: effective monitoring system Learning from experience to inform and improve the next generation of policies and programmes Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 6 What is an inclusive and accountable Policy Cycle? Inclusive means that all relevant actors and stakeholders • should be consulted and participate at various stages of the cycle Accountable requires • 23.11.2009 open and transparent procedures Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 7 What is Evidence-Based Policy Making? In recent years there has been an effort to improve the policy cycle in many countries by moving to “evidencebased policy making” Evidence-based policy helps people make well-informed decisions about policy, programmes and projects by • • putting evidence from good and reliable information sources and research based evidence at the heart of policy development and implementation A shift to evidence-based policy making will increase the possibility of meeting the MDG goals 23.11.2009 Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 8 The Policy Cycle: Analysing the situation Setting objectives Policy and strategy “Where are we now?” Analysis • Including quantitative process: and PRSP qualitative analysis the theory • Characteristics of the population Fully costed programmes • Macro, social, political constraints • Current national strategies Monitoring and evaluation 23.11.2009 Implementation Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 9 The Policy Cycle: Setting objectives Policy and strategy Setting objectives “Where do we want to go?” Analysis • Set priorities and objectives PRSP process: the theory • Define mediumand long-term goals (for growth, poverty reduction etc) Fully costed programmes • Integrate MDGs Monitoring 23.11.2009 Policy implementation Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 10 The Policy Cycle: Developing policies and strategies Setting objectives Analysis Policy and strategy “What do we need to do to reach objectives?” PRSP process: • Examine existing programmes the theory • Identify priority policies and programmes Fully costed programmes • Research: evidence-based policy making Monitoring and evaluation 23.11.2009 Policy implementation Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 11 The Policy Cycle: Costing programmes Policy and strategy Setting objectives “How much is it going to cost and where is the financing coming from?” Analysis PRSP process: • Cost the range of policies and programmes the theory that have been identified Costing programmes • Align with budget process Monitoring 23.11.2009 Implementation Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 12 The Policy Cycle: Implementation Policy formulation Analysis • Following the steps to deliver the policies and programmes PRSP process: • Pilot testing and implementing the theory new programmes Monitoring 23.11.2009 Policy and strategy Fully costed programmes Implementation Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 13 The Policy Cycle: Monitoring and Evaluation Setting objectives Financing “Are we following the steps set out and moving in the right direction?” Analysis Communication “Have we reached objectives?” “Do we need to review objectives?” “How can we improve progress against objectives?” Monitoring and Monitoring evaluation 23.11.2009 Policy implementation Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 14 How does an MDG strategy fit into the national policy cycle? Developing a strategy for meeting the MDGs usually has involved / involves three stages (+follow-up): • Setting a baseline and National targets • Conducting a needs assessment • Building policies and programmes around needs assessments 23.11.2009 Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 15 Important issues for the information providers on Indicators of MDGs 23.11.2009 We should learn to know the need structures of our important users and user groups We should make our information easily accessible for them And we should put ourselves in continuous interaction with them in order to get to know them better Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 16 User demands – how can they be found out? 23.11.2009 Is knowing user demands important – or not? Not a simple task Which users’ voices are heard? How good is the coverage of our information sources? Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 17 More and more statistical publication takes place on the internet… Internet hosts in the World in the beginning of each year * Millions * 500 450 433 400 350 300 250 This is a very positive development Availability and accessibility of official statistics has grown substantially In the beginning of the year 2008 200 • 147 150 100 50 16 0.00002 0.03 0.7 1982 1987 1992 >500 Million internet hosts in the world! This also increases pressure on timeliness 0 23.11.2009 1997 2002 2007 Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 18 So - isn’t it enough if we provide information on our web site? Searching on Google… 23.11.2009 “Inflation” • 30 Million answers • Ergebnisse 1 - 10 von ungefähr 30‘700'000 für Inflation. (0.26 Sekunden) “Social statistics” • 73 Million answers • Ergebnisse 1 - 10 von ungefähr 73‘100'000 für Social Statistics. (0.08 Sekunden) • For USA “only” 4 Million • For Switzerland “only” 1 Million • For Kazakhstan “only” 0.2 Million Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 19 And note: – There are other traps on the way! 23.11.2009 Just putting your information on your web site does not automatically mean it is utilized Even though your web information is utilized, it does not mean that your most important users make use of it Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 20 Traps on the way, continued All potential users These guys are real users Heavy user 23.11.2009 You may cover only a tiny share of your potential users - but not recognize it! Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 21 Traps on the way, continued Counting the popularity of your web site by “hits” may deceive you because • 23.11.2009 a substantial part of the “fabulous growth” comes from search engines checking if you have any new information Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 22 To develop understandable messages may also not be all that easy in the jungle of statistical information 23.11.2009 Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 23 How do we perceive ourselves? How do decision makers perceive our services? 23.11.2009 How important is our role in real decision making? In practical terms? How covering is our information on users? Do we know enough about our potential users, our potential customers? Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 24 User demands – the basic ones User friendly Easily accessible Understandable and clear Focused on the essentials With visual presentations Impressive Balanced 23.11.2009 Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 25 Basic quality demands for statistical services Q= 23.11.2009 Relevance Accuracy Timeliness Punctuality Accessibility Clarity and Comparability Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 26 Trade-offs almost every day 23.11.2009 Timeliness is a must – but what about accuracy? Relevance is a must – but what about needs specific only to one or a few users? Remember: Only used statistics is useful statistics Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 27 User friendly statistical services 23.11.2009 …can be established only through interaction with users • Interaction with real users • Not with solely our imagination on them • Not only governmental users • Not only the ones we by tradition are mainly used to Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 28 Who bears the responsibility that communication with users works well? 23.11.2009 The future… The importance… Our place in society is at stake… Users’ judgement may well define, how our statistical services are perceived and used Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 29 Who bears the responsibility that communication with users works well? (2) Is it the individual statistician, the subjectmatter expert? Program managers? Information & PR Unit? Or – Is it a challenge for the top management? • Who should bring in a systematic approach on building user relations, if it is missing? 23.11.2009 Mission Mandate Resources STRATEGIC SCOPE Capabilities Responsibilities Source: Sepp o Määttä & Timo Ojala (1999). TASAPAINOISEN ONNISTUMISEN HAASTE - Johtamin en julkisella sektorilla ja Balanced Sco recard. Edita Oy. Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division 3.6.1999 Slide 30 A modulated approach - basics for efficient user services The importance of • A good information architecture • Effective databases • Metadata information available • Linking identifications exist between different data • XML helps to build electronic bridges 23.11.2009 Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 31 The importance of user friendly Database services Statistical agencies produce quite a lot of statistical information Different users have different aspects of interest, they want information • By industries, By enterprise sizes • By regions • Comparisons over different time periods • International comparisons • And numerous other aspects… PC-Axis, PX-Web… User friendly services! 23.11.2009 Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 32 Often it is not easy, especially if information providers work in silos - and behave as that would be ideal 23.11.2009 Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 33 Internet has in recent years pushed for building corporate imagos 23.11.2009 It has also highlighted the often very different approaches different departments/divisions/ units may have on ways of publishing data Sometimes these differences are reflected on the web site of the NSI! Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 34 Tools assisting work for better satisfaction of user needs Customer databases • Information on regular and heavy users Customer Relationship Management system（CRM） • For good and systematic follow-up and planning of interaction with regular and heavy users • Example NSO:s: Canada, Finland, Estonia Business Intelligence systems 23.11.2009 Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 35 But – that’s already another story Thank you for your attention Remember: • A learning Customer Relationship 23.11.2009 Only used statistics is useful statistics Final question – who will have the responsibility for systematic satisfaction of user needs on information on MDG Indicators & on Statistical Information in general? Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 36