1. Measuring ICT in Singapore
Global Event on Measuring the Information Society
Presented by Ng Cher Keng
Director, Strategic Planning Division
Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA)
29 May 2008

2. Contents Background Data Sources / Data Collection and Analysis
Indicators Generated - Examples
Data Dissemination
Measuring ICT
Our Commitment
Challenges faced
Our Strategy
Concluding Remarks

3. Background - Decentralised Statistical System
Others
Labour, Employment and Wages
Ministry of Manpower
Money & Banking
Monetary Authority of Singapore
Tourism
Singapore Tourism Board
National Statistical Authority
Singapore Department of Statistics
(DOS)
Manufacturing
Economic Development Board
ICT
Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA)

4. Background - Division of Work
Official statistics are collected / compiled by:
National Statistical Authority (Singapore Department of Statistics or DOS)
Research and Statistics Units (or RSUs) in ministries and various other public sector agencies
RSUs can better focus on data / statistics in their respective sectors, based on domain expertise
Resulting in closer contact / greater interaction between statistical personnel / data users, leading to more relevant statistics being collected / analysed for policy-making / reference

5. Background – Purpose Policy Objective Indicators are needed to help:
Working towards IDA’s strategic goal of cultivating a vibrant and competitive ICT industry; and an ICT-savvy workforce and society
Indicators are needed to help:
Monitor and analyse trends / development in the Singapore ICT landscape, contributing to:
Policy formulation / review; and target-setting / progress review for Singapore’s latest ICT masterplan “Intelligent Nation 2015”(iN2015)
International benchmarking of Singapore’s progress / developments in the ICT landscape
Identify gaps / weaknesses for improvement and opportunities for development
Assess IDA’s corporate Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

6. IDA’s Vision, Mission & Strategic Goal
Singapore: An Intelligent Nation, A Global City, powered by ICT
Mission:
To develop the ICT cluster as a major engine of growth and to leverage ICT for economic and social development
Strategic Goal:
To cultivate a vibrant and competitive ICT sector in Singapore - one that attracts foreign investment and sustains long-term GDP growth thru’ innovative ICT technology development, deployment and usage in Singapore - in order to enhance the global economic competitiveness of Singapore

7. Singapore’s ICT Masterplans
Intelligent Nation
… Creation
Connected
Singapore
… Connectedness
… Convergence
Infocomm 21
… Connectivity
and Content
IT2000
… Communications
National IT
Plan
Singapore National IT Plan 1986
Computerisation
National
Computerisation Plan

8. iN2015 Vision: “Singapore: An Intelligent Nation, A Global City, powered by ICT” iN2015 Desired Outcomes
Enriched lives thru’ ICT
Enhanced economic competitiveness and innovation thru’ ICT
Increased growth and competitiveness of the ICT industry

9. 80 90% 2 3 100% #1 ,000 additional jobs iN2015’s goals…
in the world in harnessing ICT to add value to the economy and society
,000 additional jobs 2
90%
of homes using broadband
-fold increase in VA of ICT sector to S$26Bn 3
100%
PC ownership in homes with
school-going children
-fold increase in ICT export revenue to S$60Bn

10. Background: Mapping IDA’s corporate outcomes to iN2015 goals
IDA Corporate Outcomes
iN2015 Goals
Outcome 1:
Enhanced economic competitiveness of Singapore thru’ exploitation of ICT
# 1 in the world in harnessing ICT to add value to the economy and society
90% household broadband penetration
100% PC-ownership in homes with school-going children
Outcome 2:
Growth and competitiveness of the ICT industry
2-fold increase in VA of the ICT industry to S$26Bn
3-fold increase in ICT export revenue to S$60Bn
80,000 additional jobs in the ICT industry
Outcome 3:
Impactful and effective organisation

11. Data Sources Administrative data - Primarily telecom-related
Stand-alone ICT surveys
Admin Data (Provided Monthly)
Unit
Size
Indicators Generated (examples)
Telecom Subscriptions and Volume / Usage
Telecom Licensees
300
Fixed Line Household Penetration; Mobile Penetration; Household Broadband Penetration
Annual Surveys
Sampling Unit
Sample Size
Indicators Generated (examples)
ICT Usage by Households and Individuals
Residential Addresses
10,000
Household PC/Internet penetration; HH with school-going children
ICT Usage by Enterprises
Enterprises
14,000
Business PC/Internet penetration; Internet Activities; ICT Security Practices; Barriers to ICT Adoption
ICT Manpower
ICT manpower profile
ICT Industry
6,000
ICT industry profile

12. Data Collection / Analysis (Survey)
Questionnaire formulation
Considers international best practices and approaches recommended by Eurostat, ITU, OECD, UNCTAD etc
Internal validation by relevant line functions in IDA
External validation thru’ pilots with businesses / individuals
Data Collection
Other than HH survey, self-administered questionnaires for all other surveys submitted online or via postal system supported by:
Telephone clarification
Face-to-face interviews
HH survey fieldwork outsourced
Analysis
Data analysis and interpretation by IDA

13. ICT Indicators (Examples) - Fixed Line / Mobile Penetration
Source: IDA Admin Data

14. ICT Indicators (Examples) - Dial-up / Broadband Penetration
Source: IDA Admin Data

15. …with higher broadband speeds’ take-up
Source: IDA Admin Data

16. ICT Indicators Generated - Examples
At the household level
Access to Internet by housing type
PC penetration by households with school-going children
Home computer penetration by households with school-going children
Household Access to the Internet by Housing Type

17. ICT Indicators Generated - Examples
At the individual level
Computer Users
Internet Users
Computer Users
Internet Users

18. Indicators Generated - Examples
At the enterprise level
ICT usage by Industries; Type of online activities
ICT Usage by Industry
Online Activities

19. Indicators Generated - Examples
ICT Industry Revenue; Domestic/Export Revenue

20. Indicators Generated - Examples
ICT Manpower by Gender
ICT manpower profile
Employed ICT Manpower
ICT Manpower by Age

21. Tracking iN2015 Progress

22. Tracking iN2015 Progress - Some ICT Rankings
2005
2006
2007
2008
WEF Global IT Report
1st
2nd
3rd
5th
EIU e-Readiness Rankings
11th
13th
6th
IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook
- Tech Infrastructure sub-factor
Accenture e-Gov -
UN e-Gov Survey
e-Readiness Index
e-Participation Index
7th
23rd
10th

23. Data Dissemination Internal audience: External audience:
Detailed management report
External audience:
Key indicators and survey reports are posted on the IDA Internet website

24. Measuring ICT - Our Commitment
Reliability and Accuracy
We seek to benchmark ourselves against international best practices in statistical activities and adopt quality assurance standards
Timeliness and Accessibility
We strive for the earliest possible release of survey findings, and widest dissemination to various stakeholder groups, taking into account resources considerations
Sustainability and Relevance
We aim to improve the focus of survey work and enhance the relevance of survey findings, which meet the needs of various stakeholder groups, including reducing respondent fatigue

25. Measuring ICT - Challenges Faced
Usefulness / Value of Surveys
How to ensure continued relevance of survey findings?
Accuracy / Timeliness
How to enhance accuracy and ensure timely availability of survey findings as inputs for policy formulation / review?
Costs / Sustainability
How to weigh between scale / scope of surveys, fieldwork period and timeliness / accuracy of survey findings against survey costs and balance stakeholders’ / respondents’ needs?
Respondent fatigue
How to manage requirements from other departments / agencies and distinguish between ‘good-to-have’ / “must-have” data items?
Decentralised statistical system
How to better co-ordinate activities and align common concepts and methodology (e.g. common imputation approach)?

26. Measuring ICT - Our Strategy
Manage expectations of stakeholders
Growing demand for all kinds of statistics places increasing strain on our resources and survey respondents and licensees
Balance needs and consider resource constraints => focus and prioritise
Leverage on IDA’s various roles
As the ICT industry promoter / developer, including as the telecom regulator
As the Government CIO
As Cluster Developer using ICT
Promote data sharing amongst agencies, where possible
Data sharing based on whole-of-government focus with appropriate safeguards on data privacy, handling and security
Explore alternatives, where appropriate
Outsource data collection
Consider biennial coverage in surveys
Consider private sector survey findings

27. Visualising IDA’s 3 Roles
Singapore: An Intelligent Nation, a Global City, Powered by ICT
ICT Industry Developer
Developing vibrant and competitive ICT industry
Government CIO
Masterplanning, project-managing, implementing ICT systems and capabilities for Government
Cluster Developer using ICT
Spearheading transformation of key economic sectors, Government and society thru’ more sophisticated and innovative use of ICT
ICT
Industry
Developer
Government
CIO
Cluster
Developer
using
ICT
ICT Infrastructure
ICT Manpower Development
ICT Security
ICT Policy
International Engagement
Technology
Corporate Functions

28. Concluding Remarks ICT measurement is tool / “means to an end”
Support / Inputs of stakeholders is critical:
Stakeholder / User demand-driven survey work ensures continued value, relevance of scope and clarity in focus
Also helps to raise staff morale and motivation when work is meaningful, useful and appreciated

29. SINGAPORE: AN INTELLIGENT NATION, A GLOBAL CITY POWERED BY INFOCOMM