Interoperability and standards for statistical data exchange Sub-regional workshop on data and metadata sharing and exchange for English-speaking African countries   19-21 September 2018 Kigali, Rwanda Daniel Eshetie United Nations Statistics Division

modernizing statistical data exchange and dissemination

Challenge of modernizing statistical data exchange and dissemination Statistical organizations strive to modernize their entire business processes, from data collection to dissemination They face distinct resource constraints and operate in many different types institutional environments There is need to build new systems on what already exists, often relying on legacy systems that need to be maintained

Cape Town Global Action Plan for Sustainable Development Data Provides a framework for planning and implementing statistical capacity building Calls the global statistical community to take decisive actions to transform how data and statistics are produced and disseminated In particular, underlines the need for improved data interoperability to address the information demands of the 2030 Agenda

Cape Town Global Action Plan for Sustainable Development Data Strategic Area 2: Innovation and modernization of national statistical systems Objective 2.1: Modernize governance and institutional frameworks to allow national statistical systems to meet the demands and opportunities of constantly evolving data ecosystems enhanced data sharing across the NSS improve transparency of, and public access to, official statistics

Cape Town Global Action Plan for Sustainable Development Data Strategic Area 2: Innovation and modernization of national statistical systems Objective 2.2: Modernize statistical standards, particularly those aimed to facilitate data integration and automation of data exchange across different stages of the statistical production process Define and implement standardized structures for the exchange and integration of data and metadata… Promote interoperability

Cape Town Global Action Plan for Sustainable Development Data Strategic Area 2: Innovation and modernization of national statistical systems Objective 2.2: Facilitate the application of new technologies and new data sources into mainstream statistical activities Identify specifications for interoperable, open source technologies Promote the development of integrated database systems https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/hlg/cape-town-global-action-plan/

Interoperability

Data interoperability challenge Organizations often develop and maintain fragmented data production and dissemination systems to meet the needs of different internal and external constituencies disparate protocols for data exchange proprietary technological platforms diverse data models, classifications, file formats… This makes it very difficult to integrate the wealth of data that is available across organizational boundaries

Interoperability Ability to: Search many data collections in a single query Exchange data across computer systems using standard data formats and communication protocols Automatically and unambiguously interpret the meaning of the information exchanged Integrate multiple data assets into coherent information products

Key enablers of data interoperability Technology standards Allow system components developed and maintained by multiple parties to be seamlessly integrated and to work together Enable multi-lateral exchange and use, in contrast to bi-lateral exchange where an agreement needs to be reached between each pair of parties, or the data consumer needs to adapt to the practices and standards of each data provider • Technology standards • Common (high-level) data and metadata models formalize the description of data and metadata objects in a consistent way across disparate systems • Common vocabularies and classifications ensure there is no ambiguity regarding the information content of data services provided by different sources • Geographic information systems Enab;le multiple data items to be linked by location and analysed using the description of geographically-related features, • Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) An API is a reusable interface to which different client applications can easily connect. APIs provide essential capabilities for extending and integrating various data and software components by allowing users to link data and processes from multiple sources. APIs also facilitate the discovery of new uses for existing data assets and make them easily available to external third-party developers; thus fuelling new innovations. • Data governance To allow citizens, governments, international organisations, civil society organisations, businesses and other stakeholders to build their own applications on top of interoperable data services, it is necessary to develop and open and service-oriented data architecture that facilitates public access to a wide range of data assets from custodian organisations at different jurisdictional levels. Moreover, data management technologies and practices are rapidly evolving and require an increasingly collaborative approach. In this context, a data governance framework based on effective multi-level organisational arrangements to facilitate coordination, negotiation and collaboration across different territorial levels and stakeholder networks is urgently needed. The primary challenge when it comes to governance is reconciling collective and individual needs and interests to achieve common goals through collective decision-making. Coordination provides the critical link between the ‘steering’ process of governance and the ‘rowing’ activities of individual actors that move the community in the necessary direction.

Key enablers of data interoperability Common (high-level) data and metadata models Help formalize the description of data and metadata objects in a consistent way across disparate systems Common vocabularies and classifications Ensure there is no ambiguity regarding the information content of data services provided by different sources • Technology standards • Common (high-level) data and metadata models • Common vocabularies and classifications • Geographic information systems Enab;le multiple data items to be linked by location and analysed using the description of geographically-related features, • Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) An API is a reusable interface to which different client applications can easily connect. APIs provide essential capabilities for extending and integrating various data and software components by allowing users to link data and processes from multiple sources. APIs also facilitate the discovery of new uses for existing data assets and make them easily available to external third-party developers; thus fuelling new innovations. • Data governance To allow citizens, governments, international organisations, civil society organisations, businesses and other stakeholders to build their own applications on top of interoperable data services, it is necessary to develop and open and service-oriented data architecture that facilitates public access to a wide range of data assets from custodian organisations at different jurisdictional levels. Moreover, data management technologies and practices are rapidly evolving and require an increasingly collaborative approach. In this context, a data governance framework based on effective multi-level organisational arrangements to facilitate coordination, negotiation and collaboration across different territorial levels and stakeholder networks is urgently needed. The primary challenge when it comes to governance is reconciling collective and individual needs and interests to achieve common goals through collective decision-making. Coordination provides the critical link between the ‘steering’ process of governance and the ‘rowing’ activities of individual actors that move the community in the necessary direction.

Key enablers of data interoperability Geographic information systems (GIS) Enable multiple data items to be linked by location and analysed using the description of geographically-related features Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) Help extend and integrate various data and software components by allowing users to link data and processes from multiple sources. Facilitate the discovery of new uses for existing data assets and make them easily available to external third-party developers

Collaborative on data interoperability

Collaborative on SDG Data Interoperability On 17 January 2017, at the first UN World Data Forum in Cape Town, South Africa, the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data (GPSDD) and the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) convened a meeting on the theme of Advancing SDG Data Interoperability A multi-stakeholder meeting on data interoperability for the SDGs, on 5 March 2017 in New York, established a new Collaborative on SDG Data Interoperability

Collaborative on SDG Data Interoperability Objectives Connect: create a virtual space for stakeholders across constituencies to come together Experiment: foster an environment in which new solutions to interoperability challenges are experimented with and prototypes jointly developed Learn: build and catalogue a body of knowledge, lessons and stories on the success, replicability and scalability of data interoperability solutions Advocate: raise awareness among stakeholders about how data interoperability can help meet and monitor the SDGs

Collaborative on SDG Data Interoperability Deliverables (to be presented at the second UNWDF in Dubai) Technical Interoperability Guide Hands-on recommendations to improve data interoperability within and across organizational boundaries Policy Brief Document to highlight the benefits that interoperable solutions can impart for decision-makers, contributing to efforts making the case for investments in data for development