Transcript Ms. Wong, Wee-Kim, Chief Statistician, Statistics Singapore

UNSD SEMINAR ON INNOVATIONS IN OFFICIAL STATISTICS
UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK
20 FEBRUARY 2009
Innovations in Official Statistics :
Data Collection & Dissemination
SINGAPORE
Innovations in Data Collection

Use of Alternative Sources : Administrative Data

Data Collection Strategy
 Tri-Modal Data Collection
 Staggered Workflow for Increased Efficiency

Integrative Survey Processes
Optimisation of Administrative Data
for Statistical Purposes
• Use of administrative sources
helps to reduce respondent burden
• Complement survey data,
for the compilation of more timely
and detailed statistics
Use of Administrative Data
for Statistical Purposes
in Statistics Singapore
•
•
•
•
•
•
Direct tabulation
Used as proxies in estimation
Construction and updating of survey frames
Evaluation of surveys
Replacement of data collection
Editing and imputation of data
Use of Admin Data
in Population Statistics
Singapore’s Register-Based Census
Basic information on
entire population from
admin registers
Information collated
from entire population
Additional details from
sample survey
of the population
Use of Admin Data
in Business Statistics
• Business Register
- Updated at regular intervals with administrative sources
Examples :
- Tax information from the Inland Revenue Authority
of Singapore
- Registration information from the Accounting and
Corporate Regulatory Authority
• Usage
Examples :
- Determinants of active establishments
- Industry classification
- Survey frame
- Imputation for non-response cases
- Compilation of new indicators :
small and medium establishments and start-ups
Managing Issues Arising from
Use of Administrative Data
Matching of Data
• Matching will be relatively easy if there is common
identification number
Examples :
- Every resident in Singapore has a personal identification
number
- Every foreigner staying or working in Singapore needs to
hold a pass with a unique foreigner identification number
(UFN)
- From 1 January 2009, all entities registered in Singapore,
such as businesses, companies, societies, and
representative offices have a unique entity number (UEN)
Tri-Modal Data Collection
For Population Census
Internet
Face-to-Face
Interview
Telephone Interview
Internet Enumeration
Links to key information placed for easy access
Left-hand panel and bottom
buttons placed consistently to
facilitate use
Automated branching of
questions directed
respondents to questions
relevant to themselves
Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing
Phone features
Left hand links for
quick access
Appointment
function
Adopting Technology for Field Collection
Use of Personal Digital Assistants

Improved flow of face-to-face interviews
- Automated branching of questions
- Completeness checks

Simplified fieldwork operations
- PDA more portable than voluminous hardcopy forms

Reduced back-end data processing
- Reduced data entry
- Checks performed during interview

Data Security
- Encrypted data
- Authorised access
Adopting Technology for Field Collection
Use of Mobile Text Messages in Field Operations

Automated system of SMS alerts

Minimize incidents of interviewers visiting
households who completed survey
Staggered Workflow
for Increased Efficiency
0
Batch 1
1
*
Batch 2
Batch 3…
2
3
4
5
Week
6
….
….
….
….
….
….
n
*
*
Internet
Fieldwork
CATI Inbound** CATI Outbound
*
*
*
Internet
Fieldwork
CATI Inbound** CATI Outbound
*
*
*
Internet
Fieldwork
CATI Inbound** CATI Outbound
*
*
*
Internet
CATI Inbound** CATI Outbound
..Batch 15
Fieldwork
* Notification letter, 1st reminder and 2nd reminder is dispatched about 2 days prior to the start date for the batch, CATI Outbound
and Fieldw ork operations respectively.
** CATI Inbound continues after Outbound/Fieldw ork start.
Integrated Business Survey System (IBSS)
Increase
Standardisation
Optimise use of
administrative
data
More efficient and
effective business
processes
Improve
Methodologies
Harness
technology
Improve
Response
Management
Desired outcome:
Improve the quality, relevance and timeliness of Business Statistics
Integrated Business Survey System (IBSS)
Disparate Processes and Systems for Difference Surveys
Previously

Now
Integrated
Business
Survey
System
(IBSS)
• Generic end-to-end system for business
surveys
• More seamless integration between data
collection and data processing processes
• Consistency in procedures, methods,
systems across surveys
• Facilitates cross-checking of data from
different surveys to achieve data
consistency
• Facilitates response management across
surveys for better client management
New Commercial Establishment
Information System (CEIS)
• Extensive use of administrative data for more timely and
efficient updating of business register
–
–
Track new firms which have commenced operation
Update more up-to-date status of existing firms
Now
• 30,000 new firms to
cover every year in
survey to determine
status and size of
companies
• More detailed smaller
scale survey, covering
1,500 new firms with
‘active’ status and
emp >10

Previously
Integrated Business Survey System:
Improving Sampling Efficiency
Previously
Now
Size strata = 2
Size strata = 3
• “Take-all”
: 1 Group
• “Take-some” : 1 Group
• “Take-all”
: 1 Group
• “Take-some” : 2 Groups
• Reduction in sample size
• Reduction in design Coefficient of Variation (CV)
IBSS : Multi-Modal Data Collection
• Hard copy through mail
• On-line Internet submission
Security Measure:
Adopt Govt’s E-Service
Authorisation System (EASY)
and Singapore Personal Access
(SingPass) for authorisation &
authentication
Data Quality Measures:
• On-line validation checks
• Succcesful uploading only if
data pass validation
IBSS: Improving Response Management
• Periodic response
charts
• Comparison of
responses across
different periods,
industries and editors
• Priority list of
outstanding cases
given to editors
Response
Rate
Response
4Q 2007
Response
4Q 2008
• Effective in raising
response rate and
operational efficiency
Number of Days after initial Mail Out
IBSS : Improving Data Processing

Standard methods adopted in automated data
editing and imputation for non-response cases

Leverage on established statistical software
 Improved data quality and timeliness
Innovation in Data Dissemination
Extend Outreach to users :

Multiple Channels of Dissemination

Portable Data

More Interesting Presentation
- Visualisation Technique
STS Online System
SingStat Website
 Over
7,000 time series
 Seasonally adjusted
data for key indicators
Researchers & Analysts
 Latest
data & key
indicators/findings
 Media releases
 Papers & Analyses
 Responds
Local & Overseas Users
Local & Overseas Users
SingStat Express (Email)

Multi-Channels for
Dissemination
of Statistics/
Publications
SingStat Express (SMS)
indicators
 Alert to press
releases/papers
Local Users
Who Are on the Move
Publications/
Statistical Tables


 Key
 Key
to public
enquiries
 Provides customised
statistical tables

indicators
 Alert to press releases/
papers
Local & Overseas Users
Who Wish to be Alerted
to Latest Releases
Personalised Service
Data on SMS
 Key
indicators
 Sends latest statistics
requested for via SMS
Local Users
Who Are on the Move
 Cover
wide range of
domains in economic,
business, population,
income & expenditure
statistics
 Free online access
 Limited hardcopy titles
for sale
Local & Overseas Users
Innovation in Data Dissemination
SingStat Website

Adopts a portal concept

Provides single-point access to key official
statistics released by various government
agencies under decentralized statistical system
Innovation in Data Dissemination
SingStat Time Series
Online System

Single platform to access social and
economic time series

19 subject themes with >7,000 time series
Innovation in Data Dissemination
Using Data Push Techniques
To deliver
news highlights/latest data/hyperlinks
Via

Really Simple Syndication (RSS)

Email/Text Messaging Alert Services
Innovation in Data Dissemination
Using Data Pull Techiques
To facilitate user self-help
Via

Facility on SingStat website to download
data to Palm OS devices

Text messaging service to request and
receive data
Innovation in Data Dissemination
Using Data Visualization Technique to Present Data
Innovation in Data Collection
and Dissemination

Harness IT Advancement and Re-engineered
Processes to improve operational efficiency
and effectiveness to better serve users
Thank You