Data Administration and the Role of the Data Administrator Tariqul I. Khan and Ronnie Hammad The World Bank Data Administration Data Administration

Key Roles Understanding the overall data flow Identifying key players and partners Defining Roles and Responsibilities Ensuring Quality control: validation & consistency Identifying dissemination & reporting needs Managing the CETS code Ensuring proper derivation & aggregation methods Data Administration

Key Roles (continued) Uploading data Addressing data providers’ needs to ensure regular flow & quality Complying with Int’l reporting initiatives Reporting key indicators to SADC & other organizations Synchronizing & replicating databases Documenting policies & procedures Data Administration

1. Understanding the overall data flow Diagram data flow Helps identify key players & partners Defines roles and responsibilities A reiterative process Data Administration

2. Identifying key players and partners Internal Functional depts. (NA, CPI, Trade, Population.. Database Administrator (DBA) IT, network administrator Senior Management External Various ministries NGO International organizations Data Administration

3. Defining Roles and Responsibilities Sign off procedures for data submission How updated By when By whom How often Reporting to SADC & others Official and unofficial data Data Administration

4. Ensuring Quality control: validation & consistency Methods and tools Ensure total equals sum of components Review of changes in growth rates and ratios Plausibility of data (more analytical) Break in series Re-basing constant price series for new base year Change in currency Dialogue with data providers over inconsistencies Data Administration

4. Ensuring Quality control (cont): Who is responsible? Data Administrator, Economists and other staff working in countries/institutions who are responsible for, or oversee the collection, compilation, dissemination, and presentation of economic data for use in their country and region, briefings, and statistical reports/tables to support information need, decision/policy making, and other development related cause. Data Administration

4. Ensuring Quality control (cont): Some of the important criteria? · Knowledge of the basic principles underlying the economic statistics accounting systems · Knowledge of the main macro-economic statistics used to measure the development of an economy · Understanding of the accounting relationships between the macroeconomic statistics · Knowledge of the definitions for the main economic statistics as stored in the database (e.g. Indicators in the Live database) · Knowledge of the national accounts, GDP and its components · Knowledge of the new System of National Accounts (SNA93) · Knowledge of the new Balance of Payments Manual (Rev 5) · Knowledge of Government Finance Statistics · Knowledge of Trade & Debt Statistics Data Administration

5. Identifying dissemination & reporting needs All indicators needed for all possible reports Type and format based on user needs Timeliness and periodicity How to handle public vs. confidential data Data Administration

6. Managing CETS codes Catalog of Economic Time Series (CETS) “The Holy Grail of the LDB system” Define Indicator Determine methodology to come up with CETS Code Group Exercise Use tool to define new code in Database Develop CETS code library Establish regional Master list (E&Y) Identify regional organization to eventual manage regional master list Data Administration

7. Ensuring proper derivation & aggregation methods Derivations Identify components Identify formula Consult relevant specialists Aggregations Sub-national to national National to regional Compute relevant weights Gap filling methodologies Data Administration

8. Uploading data Upload data using uploading tool Run aggregation and derivation program Conduct consistency check Validation tool (Excel based) Comparison tool (Excel based) Data Administration

9. Addressing data providers’ needs to ensure regular flow & quality Incentives for sharing Within CSO With external suppliers Provide Help Desk support Conduct Training Adopt new tools Develop custom reports Play liaison role Data Administration

10. Complying with Int’l reporting initiatives Adopt international standards by default Except for compelling national need General Data Dissemination System (GDDS) Document source Definition Methodology Periodicity Link with other initiatives (DECAF… Data Administration

11. Reporting key indicators to SADC & other organizations Identify key indicators Format or report Method of transfer Periodicity of transfer Sign off procedures Data Administration

12. Synchronizing & replicating databases Possible methodologies for replication Web (FTP) CD ROM Frequency of synchronization? Data Administration

13. Policies & procedures manuals Documentation for knowledge transfer and preservation Data flow mechanism Roles and responsibilities Quality control CETS code management Aggregation and derivation methodologies Uploading procedures Training manuals GDDS work plan Database synchronization Data Administration