User Surveys Question of the Month Gundega Kuzmina Deputy director Information, Publishing and Printing Department Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia

Gundega Kuzmina2 User Surveys: Why – key objectives How – technical details What – main results and conclusions Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia Quality of Statistical Information (January 2007) Quality of Statistical Products and Services (May 2007)

Gundega Kuzmina3 User Surveys: Why? to obtain qualitative information: –opinions and suggestions of main users of the statistical information Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia Quality of Statistical Information Quality of Statistical Products and Services to detect: –products and services that the users are the least satisfied with –causes of dissatisfaction to find out: –the most important products and services to determine: –areas of much-needed improvement

Gundega Kuzmina4 User Surveys: How? Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia Quality of Statistical Information Quality of Statistical Products and Services –outsourcing –May 2007 –telephone interviews –all data users –200 respondents Performer of the survey: Period of the survey: Method of the survey: Population of the survey: Planned sample: Reached sample: –outsourcing –January 2007 –postal mail –key data users –100 initial contancts, of which 96 valid –70 respondents

Gundega Kuzmina5 User Surveys: How? Selection of respondents: –respondents using statistical information in their daily work: Ministries Cooperation partners, producers of statistics Banks Local governments Mass media Universities Research centers Associations Embassies Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia Quality of Statistical Information Quality of Statistical Products and Services –respondents that have used statistics: contacts from CSB user database Private sector, 52% Public sector, 28% Private individuals, 20%

Gundega Kuzmina6 User Surveys: How? Questionnaire forms sent by postal mail –including a link to downloadable questionnaire form Answering possible –by , fax and postal mail 2 telephone reminders –t+1 week –t+2 weeks Deadline for questionnaire reception t+3 weeks Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia Quality of Statistical Information

Gundega Kuzmina7 User Surveys: How? Questionnaires received By 73% By post20% By fax7% Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia Quality of Statistical Information

Gundega Kuzmina8 User profile: ways of obtaining information, purposes of use of information etc. Overall qualityof statistical information Data dissemination: accessibility, timeliness, scope and level of detail Metadata:notes, methodological and explanatory information + All questions broken down by statistical domains + Field for comments for all questions. Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia Quality of Statistical Information: questions

Gundega Kuzmina9 User profile: purposes & frequency of use, significance of statistical products and services in daily work Satisfaction with the CSB products and services: methodology, length of timeseries, timeliness of release, level of detail of the data, price Necessary improvements Assessment of:web page & data bases, publications, tailor- made information + Multiple choice answers, scores Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia Quality of Statistical Products and Services: questions Quality of Statistical Products and Services : questions

Gundega Kuzmina10 Overall qualityof statistics Survey (1) 3,65 (1- poor, 5 – very good) Survey (2) 88.4% of the respondents provided a positive evaluation. Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia Quality of Statistical Information (1) Quality of Statistical Products and Services (2)

Gundega Kuzmina11 Accessibility Survey (2) private individuals not using statistics regularly have difficulties with database extractions Survey (1) tailor made data sets by phone tailor made data sets prepared in 1-2 days Timeliness Survey (1) and (2) users expect better timeliness Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia Quality of Statistical Information (1) Quality of Statistical Products and Services (2)

Gundega Kuzmina12 Scope of data and level of detail Survey (1) users believe that the CSB should publish all data, including those outside the CSB competence more indicators in regional breakdown (cities and towns, districts, municipalities) more detailed breakdowns by NACE classification in business statistics more detailed breakdown of the foreign trade data publish value added in industrial statistics domain Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia Quality of Statistical Information (1) Quality of Statistical Products and Services (2) : ( : )

Gundega Kuzmina13 Methodology, notes a.o. metadata Survey (1) and (2)general users are satisfied, respondents using data for research expect more comprehensive information Survey (1)information on reasons for recalculations shall always be provided Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia Quality of Statistical Information (1) Quality of Statistical Products and Services (2)

Gundega Kuzmina14 User Surveys: What? User profile: (1) respondents that re-disseminate data use CSB web page & database (92%) in combination with Eurostat homepage (79%) (1) respondents that use data for econometric modeling and forecasting also use statistics of international organisations (e.g. OECD, UN, IMF) (79 %). Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia Quality of Statistical Information (1) Quality of Statistical Products and Services (2)

Gundega Kuzmina15 User Surveys: What? Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia Quality of Statistical Products and Services: - necessary improvements, %

Gundega Kuzmina16 Question of the Month - polling on the web Why – to make Web page more interactive, to gather public opinion on various subjects How – Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia

Gundega Kuzmina17 Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia

Gundega Kuzmina18 Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia

Gundega Kuzmina19 Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia