High Level Workshop 2012 Leadership in Modern Statistical Systems Strategies for data collection and data capture. Sessi

1. High Level Workshop 2012Leadership in Modern Statistical SystemsStrategies for data collection and data capture. Session 4 Olav Ljones Deputy Director General Statistics Norway

2. 1.The scope of the session • “The different data sources, surveys, administrative data and registers • Legal matters for collection of data • Mandatory, even with fines for non response • Developments in data capture techniques making the most of the new technologies for collection and quality control • Aligning data collection strategies to the available sources in each country.” • Without data – the statisticsstop.

3. Reservations • Excuse for a perspective built on Norwegian experiences. • A narrow perspective – priority to first step data collection. Leave out topics on moving data into production systems in NSP, data entry and scanning is not discussed.

4. The session - more • Official statistics is seen as a production process • Basic data – primary data are the input in the production process • The theories and techniques of official statistics – professionally important to understand • The use of samples instead of full count statistics • Data collection implies costs for the NSO. Cost effiency is important • The legal base is more and more important

5. The process – The GSPBM • http://www.ssb.no/english/subjects/00/90/doc_200817_en/doc_200817_en.pdf

6. One of the important interfaces with the public • The response burden • Confidentiality a promise • Mandatory surveys • ..even with fines for non response (Strong power given to NSO - DG

7. 2. The fundamental strategy for data collection • Identify the population of statistical units and identify what kind information (set of variables) that is requested • Examine if reuse of data is possible. • If other data sources exists (within the government) – use administrative data • Start the planning of new data collection,

8. The optimal solution- combine • resources spent in the NSO • the response burden put on respondents • statistical quality (accuracy, relevance, timeliness etc) • Move away from the stove pipe tradition • Within the legal and political framwork

9. 3. The statistical unit • Individuals or • Economic units • Government • Local • Central

10. 4. Administrative sources • Legal rights to use administrative data both micro data and accounts and other aggregates. • Technical access to data – electronic. Coordination of electronic communication is important. • Some influence on planning of the administrative data systems e.g. Identification of units, concepts and classifications. • Rules of confidentiality. The one way stream of micro data into statistics. The output from NSO is statistics not extended micro files for administrative purposes

11. Adm sources cont. • Quality checks are important. The European debate about statistics and the recent crisis – has identified lack of quality on the administrative data (e.g. public debt) is it acceptable for the NSO to act as the public audit authority? • Access to administrative data for statistics, but without legal control for instance relevant when the NSO will give the research community access to micro data also from administrative sources.

12. Adm sources more • The content of administrative variables has to equal the requested statistical variables. This strong claim has in practice to be moderated. By transformation of the registered variables the statistical variables have to be reached. This is perhaps the main and most difficult precondition.

13. 5. Collection of individual data • full count (census) or • sample surveys • population register • increasing non response a problem – actions to be taken: • Broaden the common understanding of value of official statistics • Establish public confidence about the NSO respecting fully the confidentiality principles • The best modality for the reporting • Self reporting e.g. the traditional paper questionnaire or is the time ready for web – email reporting • Interviewer - home visit or by phone. • The design of questionnaire. Friendly and readable/understandable questions • Incentives for response and eventually the opposite; fines for non response • Use other sources than individual reporting, E.g. Income and wage data from tax authorities.

14. 6. Collection of business data. • business register • Sampling, strata (size), cut off • Electronic reporting may be efficient • Integrated data collection, new trends. Smart solutions if possible • Mandatory reporting and in many cases supported by fines for non response

15. 7. Reshaping and standardisation. New and recent ideas in official statistics. • Standarisation of processes • Functional approach • Vision: Resource efficiency and also a more coherent product • Implementation problems ? • For more information see UNECE – the activities of HLG- BAS (High Level Group for Strategic Developments in Business Architecture in Statistics) • http://www1.unece.org/stat/platform/display/hlgbas/High-Level+Group+for+Strategic+Developments+in+Business+Architecture+in+Statistics+%28HLG-BAS%29;jsessionid=33530EA45EA9CAD45E5A35434FFB99BF

16. Thank You