On and Off the Job Training - Danish Experiences

1. On and Off the Job Training - Danish Experiences By Leon Østergaard, Statistics Denmark UNECE/OECD Work Session on Statistical Dissemination and Communication 14-15 February 2005 Henley-on-Thames, UK

2. Introduction • We have to become better at telling the story behind the figures • Statisticians are not well equipped to do just that • We cannot let journalists take over this task entirely • Hence, we have to train statisticians to conduct (part of) the task

3. Principle of Equal Professional Rights • ”In the dissemination of statistical products - with particular reference to News from Statistics Denmark - statistical professionalism and communication expertise are regarded as equally important” • Statistics Denmark Strategy 2006

4. News from Statistics Denmark

5. News from Statistics Denmark • 550 issues each year • 2 issues on an average working day • 250 different statistics • The media are the primary target group • Revised guidelines issued recently

6. News from Statistics Denmark • Statistical Division writes first draft manuscript • Must have news focus, headline and one comprehensible graph • Forwarded to Dissemination Centre 10 a.m. on the day before publication

7. 1st Strategy: Daily dialogue • Communication professional suggests improvements • Dialogue via e-mail, telephone or face-to-face • Communication professional may re-write parts of the text • Dialogue continues until agreement is reached (by noon at the latest) • Both parties learn from the process, provided they argue their points

8. Procedure in case of disagreement • If disagreement is a matter of principle… • …Head of Communication meets Head of Statistical Division • If disagreement can’t be settled… • …the version of the Statistical Division is printed… • … and the involved parties are summoned on a later date to find a solution

9. Disadvantages • The short deadline (10 a.m. to noon) is not well suited for major changes in format, focus etc. • The short deadline makes it difficult to produce new graphs etc.

10. 2nd Strategy: Recurrent workshops • Recurrent offer to all Statistical Divisions • Not compulsory… • 8-10 publications discussed in 3 hours • Heads of divisions participate • Qualitative criticism as well as… • …quantitative facts on the use of the publications • Written report on agreements • If necessary, two or more workshops

11. Disadvantages • Time-consuming • Demands meticulous preparation • Capacity 8-10 workshops a year… • …corresponding to 3-4 Statistical Divisions a year • 3 years necessary to cover all Statistical Divisions

12. 3rd Strategy: Internal Courses • Introduction to dissemination (half day) - compulsory for new staff members • Press course (one day) - compulsory for staff dealing with the media • Efficient written communication (two days) - compulsory for all staff members • To tell with statistics (two days) - compulsory for statisticians • External courses is used only for communication professionals

13. 4th Strategy: Recruiting • In recruiting statisticians, communication skills might be regarded as an additional qualification… • …or even be required! • A suggestion is put forward in our draft language policy... • …and favourably received

14. To tell with internal statistics… • Managing change by making it quantitatively visible • Measuring media coverage • Relating media coverage directly to each publication and each Statistical Division • Improving media coverage year by year - in each Statistical Division • Progress monitored by internal statistics