Current Practices in Data Dissemination Jacob Assa, UN Statistics Division Regional Workshop on Data Management Kampala, Uganda October 26 – 28, 2009 United Nations Statistics Division 2009

2 Three Dimensions of Data Dissemination 1.Organizational 1.1Communication strategy 1.2Marketing 1.3Centralized vs. decentralized 2.Technical 2.1Infrastructure 2.2Standards 2.3Medium of communication 3. Interactive 3.1One-way vs. two-way 3.2Proactive dissemination 3.3Customized services 3.4Capturing user feedback

3 1.Organizational Issues 1.1Communication strategy (1) - Overview  Many organizations disseminate statistics without a clear strategy  Dissemination is thus seen as a residual, not an integral, part of the process  “A statistical agency that lacks a well-defined dissemination policy risks losing its credibility as an independent agent.” (Handbook of Statistical Organization, 3 rd ed., UNSD 2003)

4 1. Organizational Issues Communication Strategy (2) - Essential Elements  Transparency  UN Handbook:“a release schedule that treats all constituencies equally, defined well in advance”  IMF SDDS:  “advance dissemination of release calendars”  “simultaneous release to all interested parties”  Clarity  Identify information to be made available (“what”)  Identify differential user needs (“to whom”)  Cost policy  To charge or not to charge

5 Communication Strategy (3) - Free vs. charge  Statistics as a public good  IF everything is free, what incentive for continuous development?  Paying customers more likely to react  When something is wrong  When they have comments  Forces NSO to improve or lose customers  Charging enables a bigger marketing budget  Compromise – a combined approach  Basic statistical service free on the web, media  Charge for advanced, customized services 1. Organizational Issues

6 1.2Marketing  The statistical value process does not end in production  Push vs. pull modes  Traditionally – users searching for data, self- service websites (passive dissemination)  Emerging– pushing data (proactive dissemination)  Cooperation with sales section  Conflict of interests?  Active vs. passive

7 1. Organizational Issues 1.3 Centralized vs. decentralized (1)  Advantages of centralization  A single unit can attract specialists combining their expertise  Effectiveness will depend on level of influence in management structure  Economies of scale – increasing possibilities for running important development projects  Disadvantages of centralization  A large unit  operational nature  marginalization (top management interested in strategy more than operations)  Communication problems with subject-matter statisticians (who are usually more conservative)

8 1. Organizational Issues 1.3 Centralized vs. decentralized (2)  Users increasingly want data across subject areas (e.g. on areas, subgroups or particular industries).  Use of standards and strict application of corporate branding  Data management efficiency

9 2.Technical Issues 2.1Infrastructure  Technical infrastructure  Hardware  Software  Staff  The level of infrastructure depends on what is disseminated…  printed publications and static webpage  online databases and web services  …and to whom  serving a few well-defined clients with regular reports  opening up to the general public

10 2.Technical Issues 2.2Standards (1) - IMF  Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS)  Countries with or seeking access to intl. capital markets  Guide provision of economic and financial data  As of June 2008, 64 subscribers  General Data Dissemination System (GDDS)  Countries with less developed statistical systems  A framework for evaluating needs for data improvement and setting priorities  As of June 2008, 92 subscribers  Expected to enhance the availability of timely and comprehensive statistics…  …and therefore contribute to the pursuit of sound macroeconomic policies

11 2.Technical Issues 2.2Standards (2) - SDMX  What is it?  An initiative to foster standards for the electronic exchange of statistical information  Goal - explore e-standards that could increase efficiency gains and avoid duplication  Sponsored by BIS, ECB, EUROSTAT, IMF, OECD, UN, WB  What it is not  Not a technology…but implemented using technology (e.g. XML)  How does it work?  Exchange partners agree on Data Structure Definitions  Data and metadata exported and imported accordingly

12 2.Technical Issues 2.3Medium of communication (1) Most organizations use a mix of different dissemination modes:  Print - bulletins, yearbooks, specialized brochures  Static electronic - CD-ROM, PDF files, HTML web pages  Dynamic electronic – online data services, RSS, SMS  User-interactive – customizable charts, graphs and maps, Social visualization websites

13 2.Technical Issues 2.3Medium of communication (2)  Many NSOs offer online databases, where users  Query and download data  Create tables, charts or maps online  Concerns about giving users too much control  Users can produce nonsensical charts or maps  Inappropriate correlations  Confidentiality concerns  To minimize potential problems  Provide critical metadata  Offer support  Monitor misuse

14 3. Interactive Issues 3.1One-way vs. two-way communication (1) Considerable evolution of statistical communication over recent years  Traditionally, statistical organizations focused on  Dissemination  One-way communication through few media channels  Newspapers  Radio Television  Since 1990s, acknowledged need to do more than just disseminate data  Employing communication professionals  Widespread use of the Internet  New methods of communication and dissemination  Increased numbers and diversity of end-users.

15 3. Interactive Issues 3.1One-way vs. two-way (2)  Web 2.0 technologies  Blogs  Wikis  Social networks  Interactive websites  Allow users to upload data and create graphs  Sharing and discussion with other users  Increased risks of attacks by special interest groups on ideological rather than scientific grounds  Careful management  Monitoring

16 3. Interactive Issues 3.1 One-way vs. two-way (example) OECD and Swivel  Why?  Make statistics useful  Reach a wider audience  Outcomes  Significant traffic  Many comments  Lessons learned  Very different expectations from different user groups  Content need to be adapted for web publication

17 3. Interactive Issues 3.1One-way vs. two-way – OECD

18 3.2Proactive dissemination (1)  “Push” vs. “Pull”  Traditional websites use “Pull” – the user looks for data  Some recent approaches use “Push” – RSS, broadcasting  E.g. RSS ("Really Simple Syndication“)  users subscribe for updates  information sent regularly or when changes occur  can be published through  cell phones text message  messages  news headlines  audio and video  standardized format (using XML) 3. Interactive Issues

19 3.2Proactive dissemination (2) - Example US Federal Reserve  Choice of content and scope  Large content “harvested” by automated processes  One or two numbers (e.g. exchange rates)  Real-time updates  Instant access  Latest information  Traditionally  formatted HTML for humans  SDMX for machines  Alternative  RSS report for machines (XML)  RSS title for humans: US: MXN = 1 USD NYFed noon buying 3. Interactive Issues

20 3.3Customized services Enable the user to dynamically modify output  Select and combine pieces of data  Choose and customize charts and maps  Create and save a personalized URL 3. Interactive Issues

21 3.3Customized services example– WHO GIMS 3. Interactive Issues

22 3.4Capturing user feedback  Why?  To evaluate quality  To guide expansion path  How?  Surveys  Passive – as part of the website  Active – mailing or  Focus groups  Analysis  User satisfaction – overall and specific aspects  Changes in demand (more/new data, features)  User views on relevance (e.g. variables included or not included on databases or in tables)  User feedback on classifications used 3. Interactive Issues

23 2.6Example - UNdata 2.Technical Issues

24 2.6Example - UNdata 2.Technical Issues

25 Resources  UNSD - Handbook of Statistical Organization (3rd ed.)  UNECE - Making Data Meaningful (2 parts)  SDMX - Contacts United Nations Statistics Hotline - Jacob Assa, UNSD -