Network of Methodologists 11 Istat Network of Methodologists Giulio Barcaroli Alessandro Pallara DIME/ITDG Steering Group Luxembourg, 24-25 June 2015

Outline Organisation of the methodological function in Istat The Network of Methodologists The Methodology Committee Centres of Competence Survey on statistical knowledge and the DB of competences Sharing knowledge: the collaboration platform, the Newsletter, the “Giornate della Ricerca” Contribution to the standardisation program Lessons learned Istat Network of Methodologists DIME/ITDG Steering Group Luxembourg, 24-25 June 2015

Organisation of the methodological function in Istat In DIQR, a centralised methodological division mostly dealing with R&D, industrialisation, standardisation In the other production departments, 3 decentralised methodological units mostly dealing with the introduction of innovations in statistical processes Istat Network of Methodologists DIME/ITDG Steering Group Luxembourg, 24-25 June 2015

Istat Governance System for Methodology A central (formal) node with organizational and coordination responsibilities of: - Methodological services; - Annual research program; - Monitoring methodological innovations An innovative solution that is functional and non-hierarchical and is based on two pillars: (i) the Methodology Committee and (ii) the Centres of Competence In addition to the Organisation Chart, for connecting the Centralised Methodological Division to the other Istat Units Network of Methodologists Centres of Competence Methodology Committee Informal clusters of experts with interests ranging throughout the reference areas of methodologies for statistical surveys Istat Network of Methodologists DIME/ITDG Steering Group Luxembourg, 24-25 June 2015

Methodology Committee Steering development in key methodological domains Fostering the exchange of knowledge and experience between central methodological units and decentralized production units as well as updating information on methodological competences and resources in Istat Fostering definition of annual research programs and favoring set up of the portfolio of strategic projects in methodological area Monitoring the realization of the research program Istat Network of Methodologists DIME/ITDG Steering Group Luxembourg, 24-25 June 2015

Domain subgroups (Centres of Competence) - tasks Fostering harmonization of practices and identification of sound methods in each domain that are likely to be useful for all Istat production units concerned Creating area-related repository of standards, guidelines, recommended practices and generic tools Open discussions ad knowledge exchange between subgroups members, also through a dedicated area on the network internal website Fostering experimentation and validation of standard methods and tools to be introduced in the production process Holding seminars and contributing to the organization of training courses in each domain Istat Network of Methodologists DIME/ITDG Steering Group Luxembourg, 24-25 June 2015

Centres of Competence Currently, some 265 researchers actively involved in activities of the Centres of Competence Istat Network of Methodologists DIME/ITDG Steering Group Luxembourg, 24-25 June 2015

The survey on statistical knowledge and competences of Istat personnel Online survey, data collection: January-February 2011 (updated June 2011 + each new candidate for entering the network) Reference list: all graduated workers (about 1,400) Three main objectives: Identifying knowledge and competences in a broad range of statistical areas Volunteering for participating to the Domain subgroups Preliminary mapping of informal relationships among Istat researchers and their relationships with other national and international researchers and Institutions Istat Network of Methodologists DIME/ITDG Steering Group Luxembourg, 24-25 June 2015

Database of Competences Features currently available in the DB allow: updating the database for candidates entering the network through an online questionnaire; producing statistics on Istat’s methodological competencies finding resources with specific skills in some 140 subject areas. Istat Network of Methodologists DIME/ITDG Steering Group Luxembourg, 24-25 June 2015

Collaboration Platform Since 2012, a collaboration platform (Microsoft Office Sharepoint 2010) has been set-up in order to enable both Methodology Committee and Centres of Competence managing all relevant activities and network initiatives. Istat Network of Methodologists DIME/ITDG Steering Group Luxembourg, 24-25 June 2015

The Newsletter of the network A Newsletter is being published starting from April 2015 in order to: informing regularly on the activities of the Centres of Competence discussing topics that are assuming an increasing relevance for the Network disseminating good practices and information to the community of methodologists Istat Network of Methodologists DIME/ITDG Steering Group Luxembourg, 24-25 June 2015

Giornate della Ricerca in Istat A research workshop giving to experts of statistical methodology and survey statisticians from the NSI as well as from universities an opportunity to discuss recent advances in methodologies for producing official statistics Two editions so far: in March 2013 and in November 2014 In the 2014 edition the Scientific Committee selected for presentation at the workshop 26 out of the 51 works proposed. Eight sessions, with an internal chair and an external discussant The Conference generated considerable interest from researchers, both internally (nearly 300) and externally (over 40) A selection of conference papers published on a special issue of the “Rivista di Statistica Ufficiale” after passing peer-reviewing Istat Network of Methodologists DIME/ITDG Steering Group Luxembourg, 24-25 June 2015

Contribution to standardisation (I) The Methodological Network contributes to Istat industrialisation and modernisation process by promoting the adoption of internal standards. The «standard setting procedure» is based on the one defined by the European Sponsorship and the EssNet on Standardisation: a Centre of Competence can propose the adoption of a particular method, technique or tool to the Methodology Committee; the Methodology Committee selects a team of experts inside the Centre that carries out all the activities required for the adoption of the standard (drafting and testing, implementation plan, impact assessment, proposal on adoption); the candidate is proposed to, and possibly adopted by, the Committee of Presidency and can be indicated as a standard in the Istat Repository for Methods and IT tools. Istat Network of Methodologists DIME/ITDG Steering Group Luxembourg, 24-25 June 2015

Contribution to standardisation (II) At the moment, three different candidates of standards have been submitted to this procedure, dealing with: the production of sample estimates and the calculation of the relative sampling errors (methods implemented in software ReGenesees); a procedure for selective editing to be used in business and institution surveys, able to ensure the cost minimisation of follow-up and the containment of residual errors within a predetermined threshold (implemented in software SeleMix); the seasonal adjustment of time series (methods implemented in JDemetra++ in strict cooperation with the activities of the corresponding European Centre of Excellence). Istat Network of Methodologists DIME/ITDG Steering Group Luxembourg, 24-25 June 2015

Lessons learned The development of Istat Network of Methodologists represents a successful operation: this initiative involves a large number of Istat researchers, far beyond those directly allocated in methodological units; this allows to reduce the distance between «pure» methodologists and researchers with methodological competences directly involved in production processes, thus favouring collaboration; circulation and sharing of information regarding best practices are greatly increasing, together with the capability to individuate fields in which to invest in terms of research and development of new methods and tools; the Network represents also a basis for the standardisation of processes. Istat Network of Methodologists DIME/ITDG Steering Group Luxembourg, 24-25 June 2015

Thank you for your attention Contacts: retemetodologi@istat.it barcarol@istat.it pallara@istat.it Istat Network of Methodologists DIME/ITDG Steering Group Luxembourg, 24-25 June 2015 16 16