1. Streamlining the Statistical Production in TurkStat Metadata Studies in TURKSTAT
High Level Seminar for Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia Countries (EECCA) on “Quality in Statistics: Metadata”
27-29 June 2012, Tbilisi, Georgia
Gökhan GÜRGEÇ
Turkish Statistical Institute

2. Content Why, Where Metadata? Situation in TURKSTAT to Renew Standards
The Role of IT in Metadata
Metadata Studies in TURKSTAT
Experiences
Future Plans for Development

3. Why Metadata? Metadata -> Every data about data
As NSIs our main issue is Data.
We are across a Data Deluge.
For TURKSTAT 838 GB of Statistical Data without archive and backups.
Effective Metadata Management is the solid barrier for Data Deluge.

4. Why Metadata? Standardization Institutional Memory Quality
Common Processes
Common Concepts
Common Variables
Common …
Institutional Memory
Documentation
Reuse
Quality

5. Where Metadata? In which processes we need metadata?
Just in Production? (Structural Metadata)
Definition of Variables
Creation of Survey Forms
Just in Dissemination? ( Reference Metadata)
Scope of the study
Concepts of study
Methodology used in study
Quality issues
Actually No.
We need metadata in every where data exists.
We need metadata in all statistical processes.

6. Situation in TURKSTAT to Renew
No integrated metadata approach
No central metadata system
Limited use of international metadata standards
No Concept Repository
Classification Server that contains international and national classifications that should be more efficiently used.

7. Standards When Metadata & Standard comes to mind
1. GSBPM (Generic Statistical Business Process Model )
Main Focus: Statistical Processes
2. SDMX (Statistical Data and Metadata Exchange)
Main Focus: Exchange of Data and Metadata between organizations
3. DDI (Data Documentation Initiative)
Main Focus: Capture metadata about micro data

8. Standards Together
Vardigan, M. "Overview of the Data Documentation Initiative (DDI) Metadata Standard: Goals and Benefits"

9. The Role of IT in Metadata
IT has an important role in creating metadata systems in the following context:
IT applications for metadata
Metadata Editor
Metadata Publishing Tools
Metadata Transformation Tools
Use of XML
for representing metadata
for exchanging metadata (web services)
Transformation and Integration of metadata in various formats and standards.
Central and Integrated Metadata System

10. Actions for Streamlining the Statistical Production
Process modeling and standardization studies launched in 2010
Establishment of statistical metadata system studies launched in 2011

11. Metadata Studies in TURKSTAT
Within 2011, an attempt of paradigm shift in metadata started.
What a paradigm shift?
Think metadata for all the processes of statistics
Use the international standards for industrialisation
Do not think metadata as just the topic of IT
Create a central metadata system, but with thinking component oriented approach
Keep in mind the transformation and integration of any kind of metadata

12. Metadata Studies in TURKSTAT
How a paradigm shift?
Evaluate the current situation of TURKSTAT
Inspect the international literature and standards for metadata
Discussions for the best standard(s) to fit our needs
Start the studies of DDI for describing metadata for production
Collect metadata in DDI format
Studies for customizing DDI for TURKSTAT
Pilot projects for entering reference and structural metadata in DDI format

13. Metadata Studies in TURKSTAT
How a paradigm shift? (continued)
Publish metadata in DDI format
Continue to studies of SDMX for exchanging data and metadata (Mainly following EUROSTAT)
Start standardization studies in various process
Standardising variables
Standardising documentation
Standardising concepts
Standardising survey forms etc.
Start the integration of various metadata and create a central metadata system

14. Experiences
Metadata studies still stays as a difficult and important issue for NSI.
A great deal needed on harmonisation of metadata in various processes and standards
Developing a statistical metadata system is not just an issue for information technologies
Commitment and continuous support of the top management
Systematic and detailed up-to-date documentation

15. Future Plans for Development
To develop an IT application that automatically creates data entry applications from metadata.
To develop IT applications for the integration and harmonisation of metadata.
To capture metadata in all processes of statistical production at the time it occurs.
To promote the documentation in all processes of statistical production.
To develop an IT application that serves as a concept repository.

16. Thank you very much for your attention!