1. Background to the Generic Statistical Information Model (GSIM) Briefing Pack December 2011 1

2. What’s the identified need for the GSIM? The strategic vision of the High Level Group for Strategic Directions in Business Architecture in Statistics recognises the importance of standardisation to enable efficient and effective collaboration in the development and sharing of statistical information management systems. The GSBPM and GSIM strongly complement each other and, when applied together, make an important contribution towards standardisation and industrialisation of official statistics The GSBPM: Is a common reference model for the statistical business process, applies to all activities undertaken by producers of official statistics that result in data outputs The GSIM: Has been proposed as a model that identifies and describes the information, both data and metadata, supporting the GSBPM phases, sub- processes and the overarching processes of quality management and metadata management 2

3. What is the idea behind the GSIM? An initial set of work on GSIMAn initial set of work on GSIM commenced around 12 months ago as a collaboration within the Statistical Network (SN). The concept of GSIM for the SN was that it should facilitate building efficient, interoperable and sharable metadata driven statistical collection, processing, and dissemination systemsStatistical Network (SN) The GSIM could do this by : – providing a basis for statistical organisations to agree on common terminology and definitions – modelling information required within the statistical business process as information objects – identifying and describing the information, both data and metadata, supporting the GSBPM phases, sub-processes and the overarching processes of Quality Management and Metadata Management 3

4. What’s the scope of the current GSIM work? From the SN perspective, the broad scope and nature of the GSIM Common Reference Model evolved to include: a common set of high-level terminology to support consistent and efficient communication regarding, and organisation of, subsequent more detailed work to enable consistent operationalization of GSIM high level categorization of various types of statistical information 4

5. What thinking has gone into the GSIM so far? Work to date by the SN has suggested that the GSIM could comprise two separate but related components: 1.Common Reference Model - the high-level conceptual model which comprises 4 levels: – Level 0, the environment for the GSIM – Level 1, the information object groups supporting the statistical business process – Level 2, the primary information objects supporting the statistical business process – Level 3, description of the information objects identified in Levels 1 & 2 The Common Reference Model focuses on the information objects that are most commonly referred to, understood and used by those conducting the statistical business process. The Common Reference Model is expected to contain more information (potentially detailed in annexes) in regard to the relationship between GSIM and other standards, such as SDMX, DDI-L, CORE and MCV 2.Semantic Reference Model extends the conceptual model to provide more detailed and technical information objects required to support consistent operationalisation and hence, interoperability 5

6. What is needed now? Speed! In addition to being recognised as a cornerstone of the HLG-BAS strategic vision for industrialisation, GSIM has been recognised as From the ESS: An element of common reference architecture for the European Statistical System From the SDMX/DDI Dialogue: A framework that will assist in determining how technical standards such as SDMX and DDI can best be harnessed to support the business and information needs of producers of official statistics From METIS: A necessary complement to the GSBPM when describing the flow of data and metadata through the statistical business processes. From the CORE ESSnet: An important complement to the CORE Information Model In summary GSIM is required urgently by many stakeholders beyond the SN GSIM is on the critical path for moving forward on industrialisation 6

7. What is needed now? Clarity! At the Workshop on Strategic Developments in Business Architecture in Statistics in November 2011 it was observed “everyone wants GSIM but there is not common understanding of what it will be and what purposes it will serve” Earlier feedback from outside the SN on GSIM Common Reference Model V0.1 also revealed divergent views on what purposes GSIM should serve and how it should be designed – Should GSIM be designed primarily for subject matter statisticians rather than to ensure consistency in the design of information management frameworks and systems? – Should GSIM simply provide a taxonomy of, and common terminology regarding, statistical information? – Should GSIM primarily support statistical harmonisation, such as charting the relative distance between statistical concepts? While the SN envisaged GSIM serving a particular set of purposes, there may be other priorities. – The SN always intended the definition of GSIM should evolve to incorporate needs and perspectives from beyond the SN itself. 7

8. GSIM - HLG-BAS Vision to Strategy GSIM is recognised by the HLG-BAS vision as a cornerstone to industrialise official statistics HLG-BAS requested a proposal for a ‘sprint’ workshop to accelerate the development of the GSIM Two iterative ‘sprints’ will be conducted Early consultation will ensure that the outcomes of Sprint 1 align with HLG-BAS expectations and draw contributions/views from interested contributors within the statistical community After the first sprint, HLG-BAS and the international statistical community will have the opportunity to react and provide input/feedback to the outputs of the first workshop 8

9. Where to next? GSIM Sprint 1 is a collaborative process which is intended to draw on the ideas, experience and business requirements of statistical experts to: develop a clear statement of scope and purpose for the GSIM agree on the value proposition for the GSIM develop a high-level GSIM overview which is meaningful to statistical business staff develop a business case for an accelerated work program to deliver an end product that is fit for purpose and harnessed in practice define links between the GSIM and other important frameworks eg GSBPM, CORE build understanding and commitment to embrace the GSIM concept 9

10. Stakeholder consultations It is critical that the development of GSIM aligns with the expectations of HLG-BAS and canvasses diverse views from a wide range of interested stakeholders. The proposed approach includes: Confirmation of HLG-BAS intended ‘sprint’ outcomes in early February Interviews with HLG-BAS Secretariat in December Interviews with intending sprint participants in December - January Interviews with other interested stakeholders ie Portugal, BLS, others? Synthesis of major themes emerging from consultation will be published to the GSIM wiki in late January to promote open discussion In mid-January, the GSIM wiki will invite contributions, research, approaches and views to contribute to the sprint Wide engagement with interested stakeholders to gain feedback on the outcomes of Sprint #1, between March – April, prior to the commencement of Sprint #2 10

11. Discussion Questions What purposes should GSIM should serve (eg expectations of GSIM)? Why does the world need GSIM? What benefits does it offer your organisation and the broader statistical community? What outcomes would you want to see from GSIM Sprint #1 (eg expectations of Sprint #1)? Possible inputs to the GSIM Sprint – important stakeholder views, research, approaches, presentations (eg what needs to be done prior to the Sprint)? Any other matters to be considered? 11