1. Moving into the 21 st Century: A New Strategy for Disseminating IMF Statistics and Metadata Working Session on Emerging Trends and Best Practices in Data Dissemination United Nations Statistics Division March 3, 2006

2. Home Current Situation First Steps Usership Research Web Dissemination Next Steps Vision for EDW The Current Situation 4 “traditional” products in print and on CD-ROM –Balance of Payments Statistics –Direction of Trade Statistics –Government Finance Statistics –International Financial Statistics 3 online products, different formats –International Financial Statistics (modeled after the CD-ROM) –International Reserves (static tables) –Coordinated Portfolio Investment Statistics (static tables) IMF Data Dissemination Standards Bulletin Board –Special Data Dissemination Standard –General Data Dissemination System

3. Home Current Situation First Steps Usership Research Web Dissemination Next Steps Vision for EDW First Steps...  Spring 2005: two studies commissioned by the IMF’s External Relations Department and Statistics Department –Qualitative Usership Research of traditional products (conducted by Research Perspectives) –Review of Best Practices for Web Dissemination of Data (conducted by Sabatier Consulting)  Fall 2005: studies completed and results presented to IMF staff

4. Home Current Situation First Steps Usership Research Web Dissemination Next Steps Vision for EDW Key Findings and Recommendations: Qualitative Usership Research 6 focus groups, 36 in-depth interviews Positive feedback Users of IMF data also access data from a wide variety of sources (e.g., OECD, UN, World Bank) IMF databases have an excellent image (“the gold standard”) but some reputational issues Online data desired despite access limitations in some locations Many still want print publications More data desired, e.g., data on Taiwan and trade breakdowns Some interest in one large database (“super IFS”) rather than separate products World Bank’s World Development Indicators mentioned as an ideal in terms of user-friendliness

5. Home Current Situation First Steps Usership Research Web Dissemination Next Steps Vision for EDW Key Findings and Recommendations: Qualitative Usership Research (cont’d) 6 focus groups, 36 in-depth interviews Negative feedback IFS online and CD-ROM considered highly user- unfriendly by current standards Desire for more information on definitions yet confusion over the term “metadata” What metadata does exist users cannot find Data are not sufficiently timely Quality control issues: users find errors in the data which are not corrected quickly enough Insufficient information on changes to the database Dislike of IMF mnemonics (“impenetrable”) requiring print publication to understand data Insufficient information on series definitions Inadequate content support for users

6. Home Current Situation First Steps Usership Research Web Dissemination Next Steps Vision for EDW Increasing worldwide access to and comfort with the Internet Users wish all data accessible via the Internet Trends toward free access; simpler, flatter pricing; and instant pay-per-use Online downloads replacing CD-ROMs but demand for print likely to continue Many technologies in use although move towards industry standard software Slow movement towards standardization of database structures and metadata Key Findings and Recommendations: Best Practices for Web Dissemination of Data 40 telephone interviews: 19 comparable organizations, 21 data distributors

7. Home Current Situation First Steps Usership Research Web Dissemination Next Steps Vision for EDW Provision of data in XML Desire to store queries for repeated execution RSS feeds increasingly utilized Importance of clear metadata for searching and understanding data Desire to have references from main web site to partner organizations offering data Customer support essential but move to online help to reduce resources Need for online mechanisms for feedback and questions Key Findings and Recommendations: Best Practices for Web Dissemination of Data

8. Home Current Situation First Steps Usership Research Web Dissemination Next Steps Vision for EDW Next Steps... Winter 2006  Statistics Department staff retreat to consider medium- term strategies of the IMF Introduction of StatisticsQuery@imf.org permitting content questions to come directly to the Statistical Information Management Section (SIMS was created in June 2005) of the Statistics DepartmentStatisticsQuery@imf.org Adoption of Remedy for tracking queries to ensure timely responses and consistent responses Creation of a library of responses to ensure consistency of message and reduce resource requirements

9. Home Current Situation First Steps Usership Research Web Dissemination Next Steps Vision for EDW Next Steps... Spring 2006: issues to be addressed –Work practices within Statistics –Development of a statistical data warehouse –The role and extent of metadata –Effective user support –Technology alternatives –Marketing and pricing strategies Summer 2006 and beyond: implementation of short-term and medium-term strategies for online dissemination

10. A Vision for the Economic Data Warehouse and Future Dissemination Data Web Access to Data Warehouse IMF.ORG Statistics Portal Publications CD ROM Metadata Area Depts 10+ countries External Data OECDMEI INTLINE Research WEO Statistics IFS EXISTING DATA & METADATA DATA SEARCH & ELABORATION Metadata Plus additional metadata National Sources ICS Validated Data Searchable by: Topic Country Source Reports DATA WAREHOUSE National Sources ICS Rationalized Databases, Gaps Identified (disseminate as appropriate)