Quality Management
at Statistics Canada
Laurie Reedman
Quality Secretariat
February 2, 2009
Importance of Quality
 Essential characteristics of any statistical agency
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Cost
Privacy
Confidentiality
Impartiality
Quality
Outline
 Our approach to quality
• It’s everybody’s business
 Key quality management instruments
• Quality Assurance Framework
• Quality Guidelines
• Quality Secretriat
 Recent initiatives
Quality Assurance Framework
 Quality from a user’s perspective
 Definition of quality – Fitness-for-use
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Relevance
Timeliness
Accuracy
Coherence
Accessibility
Interpretability
 Managing quality dimensions
Managing Quality
– Striking the Right Balance
Users
Privacy and confidentiality
Costs - $$$
Relevance
Timeliness
Accuracy
Accessibility
Coherence
Costs – Burden on respondents
Interpretability
Costs – HR development and well being
Quality Assurance Framework and
the Statistics Canada Fields
 Statistical program fields
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Social, Institutions and Labour
Business and Trade
Analysis and Development
National Accounts and Analytical Studies
 Environment Accounts and Statistics
 Infrastructure fields
• Communications and Operations
• Informatics and Methodology
• Management Services
Senior Management
Setting and
prioritizing
demands
Planning
Allocating
resources
Feedback and
assessment
Program
Reporting
User
Liaison
Statistical
Programs
Users
Methods
and
Standards
Infrastructure
Programs
Conducting
programs
Disseminating
information
Dissemination
Program Reporting
– Quadrennial Program Report
External Consultation
Management risks
Financial Performance
Users
Costs - $$$
Supply risks
Confidentiality and Privacy
Relevance
Quality Assessment
Timeliness
Accuracy
Coherence
Costs – Burden on respondents
Supply risks
Accessibility
Interpretability
Costs – HR development
and well being
Management risks
HR management
Quality Guidelines
 Key element of methods and standards system
 Statistics Canada publication
 Set of good design and implementation
practices at various steps of surveys
 Input from experts and best practices from the
other recent initiatives
 Revised regularly
Quality Secretariat
 Promote and support the use of sound quality
management practices across Statistics Canada
 Co-ordinate the revision and dissemination of
the Quality Guidelines
 Support the development and implementation of
policies and procedures promoting quality
management practices
 Design and manage studies related to quality
management
 Several recent initiatives
Quality Reviews
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15 statistical programs in the last two years
In-depth review of quality assurance practices
Independent internal review
Focus on implementation and execution of
programs
 Identify best practices and aspects at risk
 Report to senior management
 Input into corporate planning system
Quality Assurance
Learning Exercise
 Target survey managers and supervisors
 Self-learning group exercise
 Discuss and answer over 100 questions on
quality assurance practices
• Input from best practices identified in Quality Reviews
 Provided an overview of Quality Assurance
practices in 80 programs
 Report and recommendations to senior
management
Analysis of Corrections
 1250 texts released in Statistics Canada’s
The Daily every year
 Analysis of corrections made to these texts just
before or after release
 Provide feedback to programs on corrections
just before release
 In-depth investigation of corrections made after
release
 Identify more common root causes
 Regularly report to Senior Management
Quality is …
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Everybody’s business
A balancing act
Not to be taken for granted
Something that can always be better
Best when shared with others
Contact Information
For more information:
Laurie Reedman
Statistics Canada
Laurie.Reedman@statcan.gc.ca
613-951-7301
Aussi disponible en français