Changing the perspective: users’involvement in prioritising needs in the Italian National Statistical Programme Monica Attias, ISTAT Q2014 Vienna, June

Until 2011, users interact with NSS producers (SISTAN) in Quality Circles: these are producers working groups focused on quality of official statistics. They include a number of selected users Weaknesses: only 20 users involved organised by broad areas which do not offer space for indepth discussion No formal representation of users From Quality Circles to a User Commission

A Satisfaction Survey on effectiveness of Quality circles (2011) : 362 respondents, response rate 58%, scale 1 to 7 The users describe as inadequate their contribution to defining statistics to be included in the statistical programme (average vote 3,4) Istat changes ist strategy

It includes 38 representatives of : public administration; research institutes and academia; open data; media; civil society and consumers Objectives and tasks CUIS: a Users commission CUIS begins to operate in It is an Istat consultative body which relates to NSS 1.Making users needs for and gaps in Official statistics known 2.Help defining and prioritising Official statistics to be included in PSN 3.Help identifying other potential users 4.Advocating for Official statistics 5.Proposing initiatives to improve quality (timeliness, relevance, accessibility and clarity)

User-Producer relation: a comprehensive approach a)User engagement forums; b)Online consultations surveys on user needs; c)Tools for assessing relevance of official statistics; d)Satisfaction surveys on statistical publications; e)Working groups (open data, media, microdata); f)A dedicated section of Sistan website (communities): g)Training courses (data journalism) This paper focuses on points relating to Relevance (a, b, c)

Indicates priorities to discuss Yet to be met users/producers forums to discuss needs Already met but need to be more accessible CUISQUALITY CIRCLES To be included and published in PSN Not applicable (methodology) Impossible to be met in three- year time span INFORMATION GAP Publication on PSN Adds or amend proposal and sets a calendar of forums on agreed priorities CUIS and technical secretariat identify other users and potential users to include in debate Dealt with by ISTAT dissemination DG The Forums consultation process

User Engagement Forums up to May 2014 Each session is organised jointly with the Quality Circles (6 out of 11 areas) The Study of corruption through citizen surveys; The PA statistical portal. How to increase knowledge on public administration; Development of statistics on inflation in the context of the European project on multi-purpose survey on consumer price; Users needs and statistical production on cultural heritage: valuing the results of museum survey; The information system on "Immigrants and new citizens"; Poverty and deprivation indexes.

8 Discussion between users and producers prevents that Users needs may not be relevant as they … 1) Refer to statistics already available, though not sufficiently accessible Are not applicable under the the methodological point of view Require resources which are not affordable Are not representatives of public national interest ….. And they can be endorsed according to a priority order recommended by users themselves

Contribution of key users to the statistical programme (PSN) A bi-dimensional approach: 1.To measure perceived usefulness that stakeholdeers have of their proposals for PSN 2014 (120 respondents over 167 users and producers) 2.To assess the reception of users proposals for PSN 2014 through an analysis of the origin (regulations, protocols, agreements) of planned statistics 873 statistical record in PSN database).

Results 1.Perceived usefulness (scale 1 to 7): The Forum was useful for enriching PSN statistical offer? Average users vote 5,99 Average producers vote 5,96 2. The reception of Users proposal in PSN n. of statisticsRegulations inputOther users input for integration of existing statistics Psn Psn From 2011 to 2014 (3,4) the user average vote shows a very positive trend.

The web search engine Open Psn is implemented to enhance the fruition of the information stored in the PSN database and enable users to identify existing gaps to fill in the next programme adjournement. Tools for assessing Relevance: the new Open Psn The navigation system works through The Google search appliance technology.

PSN INFORMATION RECORDS 1.Title, depositor 2.Theme, subject, observation unit, spatial unit, main variables, privacy statement 3.Coverage, universe, respondent, time dimensions, data sources 4.Methodology, sampling procedures, number of units, method of data collection 5.Dissemination and Timeliness information; confidentiality measures Fields 1-3 of statistics records will be published with the endorsement act of PSN (t-1) Fields 4-5 will be published with the PSN state of implementation (t+1). For ISTAT the process metadata are imported from the Sidi/SIQual system). In the future the records will inclide also validated metadata of SISTAN producers

1.The role of users is amplified by their inclusion in the frame of CUIS. 2.The involvement of CUIS at the beginning of the planning process enables producers to take their needs into account in a three year time span. 3.A structured interaction with users on focused themes has proved viable and positive and avoids frustration of both sides. 4.Producers have acknowledged that their planning capability has increased Future developments Through the Open Psn, users will better assess gaps and relevance of Official statistics Open Psn will help widen the network of users and make consultation more effective CUIS members will act as mediators of needs expressed by the wider user community Conclusions

Thank you for the attention M. Attias, ISTAT