"Development of Strategies
for Census Data
Dissemination".
United Nations Regional Seminar on
Census Data Dissemination and Spatial Analysis
Nairobi, Kenya, 14-17 September, 2010
Eliahu Ben-Moshe
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“A census is not complete until
the information collected is made
available to potential users in a
form suited to their needs”
(UN Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses,
DESA/SD , par. 1.206, pp. 49)
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Developing Dissemination Strategy:
Key Elements
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Users identification
Uses/Needs
Technologies
Dissemination Media
Products & Services
Dissemination Policy
Quality Assurance
Meta-data
Confidentiality/Privacy measures
Budget and Human Resources
Users consultation
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Users identification
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Central Government
Local Government Authorities
Research Community
Business and Industry Sector
General Public
Communication Media
International and Multinational Organizations
Public or Private Service Providers
Market Researchers
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Uses/Needs
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for policymaking, planning and administrative purposes
as (an essential) part of the statistical infrastructure
for research purposes
for business, industry and labor
for electoral boundary delimitation
as a sampling frame for surveys
for development of benchmark housing statistics
for the formulation of housing policy and programs
for the assessment of the quality of housing
in relationship with other statistical activities
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Technologies
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GIS
Internet Dissemination
Data bases
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Dissemination Media
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Paper publications
Digital Media
Online dissemination
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Products & Services
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Provisional results
Tabulations
Thematic statistical or analytical reports
Procedural, Evaluation and other reports
Census mapping
Interactive digital outputs
General interest products and special audience
reports
Services – Customized products, "on request"
services
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Tabulations
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Basic/essential tabulations
Recommended tabulations
Additional tabulations
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What is unique about census products?
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Estimates for small areas and small population
groups > effective decision making (identified target
population);
Infrastructure statistics > effective sampling for
surveys (identified strata), without crossing lines vis
a vis response burden and budget;
But usually infrequent (once a decade).
Census Dissemination Strategy has to address first those needs
answered only by census data
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Dissemination Policy
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Marketing
Pricing
External distributors
Confidentiality and privacy
Accessibility
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Quality Assurance attributes
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Relevance
Completeness
Accuracy
Comparability
Coherence
Timeliness
Punctuality
Clarity
Accessibility
Metadata
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QA process should show
a)
b)
Methodological soundness: adherence to
professional methods and (internationally)
agreed standards;
Efficiency: degree to which statistics are
compiled in such a way that the cost and the
respondent burden are minimized relative to
output.
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QA challenges
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Census dissemination can easily be overlooked
in the chain of providing a quality outcome for
the census as management attention is diverted
to the costly and risky enumeration and
processing operations.
Dissemination systems and processes need to
be available, documented and tested prior to the
release of data from the processing phase.
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Metadata
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Sources of the data
Definitions
Methods
Para-data (collection-process description)
International comparability
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Confidentiality/Privacy measures
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Direct identification
Indirect identification
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Budget and Human Resources
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Proper budget allocation since the start of the
project
Human resources recruitment and maintenance
until the end of the census project
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How to Determine Users’ Needs
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Mandatory products
Uses in previous census
Uses in relevant surveys and expressed needs
International recommendations
Surveys, discussion groups, and other
operations to elicit needs of known users and of
potential users before (and after) the census
NSI insights and leading role
Future needs…
This is to create a reservoir of needs
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Consultation with Users
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Three issues to be addressed:
• Data to be collected according to accepted
needs, while keeping the respondents’ rights in
mind;
• Data to be released to ensure confidentiality and
yet, relevance;
• Dissemination tools to ensure accessibility,
independence in use, clarity and processing
ability.
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Consultation with Users
Data to be collected
Limitations
Legal
Obligations
International
Recommendations
Scope and Costs of
Direct Data Collection
Consultation
Span
Consistency with
Official Statistics
Privacy &
Response Burden
Alternatives for Direct Data Collection
(administrative sources)
Public vs. Private
Users
Infrastructure vs.
Other Statistics
Multiple vs. Single
Potential Users
Many vs. Few Uses
Influenced by the reservoir of needs
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Consultation with Users
Data to be Released
Limitations
Legal
Obligations
International
Recommendations
Confidentiality & Individual Privacy
Data Quality
Generic vs. Tailor-made Products
Consultation
Span
Aggregates vs. Micro-data
Single census vs. Several censuses data
(Comparisons over-time, linked records)
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Consultation with Users
Tools
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Dissemination Tools come to serve four main purposes:
• Accessibility to all;
• Independence in use;
• Clarity of the data;
• Processing ability for further research.
-ThereforeUnder the limitations of Budget, Human Resources and
Technology, users are to be consulted and demonstrated
needs, with regard to dissemination tools, are to be
answered.
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Developing Dissemination
Strategy
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Users needs determine the Target
Data (and Metadata), Budget and Human
resources – are the Input
Technology and methodology – are
enabling factors
Products and services – are the Output
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“Tips” based in previous
experience
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Dissemination strategy needs to be developed
during the planning stage of the census
Budget and Human Resources need to be
determined (and protected) since the beginning
of the census project
The supply of census products and services
goes far beyond the first couple of years after the
census
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“A census is not complete until
the information collected is made
available to potential users in a
form suited to their needs”
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