Conference on Data Quality for International Organisations
Newport, Wales, 27-28 April 2006
Q2006 FOR INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS
PROGRESS FROM 2004 MEETING AND
THE WAY FORWARD
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Q2004 FOR INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS
OVERVIEW
•
•
•
Followed the Q2004 meeting in Mainz, Germany on
24-26 May 2004
Over 15 I/Os in CCSA were represented (32
delegates)
Plus 10 countries in Europe, Asia, North and South
America (25 delegates)
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Q2004 SESSION THEMES
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


Quality frameworks assessing and improving
statistical activities carried out by I/Os
Coherence of data published by various I/Os on
same subject
Tools and policies for collecting, managing and
disseminating data and metadata
Panel discussion – Future directions for
international co-operation to ensure data quality
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Q2004 SESSION THEMES
I/O QUALITY FRAMEWORKS
Papers presented by: OECD; FAO; UNSD
•
•
•
Outlined elements of quality frameworks (dimensions, review
processes, etc) – internal focus (OECD) – external focus
(FAO)
Relationship between UN Fundamental Principles for Official
Statistics, IMF DQAF, and the (then) draft Declaration of
Principles for International Official Statistics
How progress towards a quality framework for international
official statistics could be achieved – Taken further by
Framework Task Force.
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Q2004 SESSION THEMES
COHERENCE OF SAME DATA PUBLISHED BY
DIFFERENT I/Os
Papers were prepared by : UNDP; UNICEF, OECD, ECE, World
Bank
•
•
•
•
Identified different types of inconsistency
Identified a range of possible causes of inconsistency
Papers acknowledged improvements in co-ordination
between I/Os, especially in areas of data collection.
Put forward ideas on solutions
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Q2004 SESSION THEMES
TOOLS AND POLICIES FOR COLLECTING,
MANAGING AND DISSEMINATING
DATA AND METADATA
Papers presented by: UNIDO; UNESCO; ILO; OECD; ECB; IMF; OECD; FAO;
UNSD
•
•
•
•
Outlined recent individual corporate IT initiatives for the collection,
management and dissemination of data and metadata.
Covered mechanisms for exchanging data and metadata with other I/Os,
e.g. automated systems based on adoption of common standards (ECB)
others based on use of common questionnaires by different I/Os (UIS).
Almost all papers mentioned linkages between D/B systems and corporate
data quality assessment frameworks to improve data quality.
Mentioned / highlighted evolution of systems using tools / standards being
developed by SDMX (ECB, OECD, IMF).
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Future directions for international cooperation to ensure data quality
Panel discussion conclusions covered:






Need for development of declaration of principles
for international statistics
Identified similarities in production processes used
by I/Os and national agencies
Identified key quality dimensions at international
level: country coverage, comparability
Quality assessment versus quality assurance
Degree of co-ordination / co-operation
Importance of metadata and IT
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INITIAL QUALITY FRAMEWORK
Fundamental principles for official statistics
Providers
National
statistical
agencies
Principles for international statistics
International
agencies
Users
Statistical Data and Metadata Exchange (SDMX) – Standards and tools
International statistical standards and recommendations
NSOs quality assurance frameworks
I/O quality assurance frameworks
DQAF / SDDS / GDDS
IDBB / IDQAF / IDDS
I/Os common training and software
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PROGRESS SINCE Q2004
Fundamental principles for official statistics
Consensus on Principles
National and
Providers
practices for I/Os statistical
reached by
CCSA members in agencies
2005
Principles for international statistics
International
agencies
Users
Posted on UNSD website
I/Os
to
review
current
practices
and
disseminate
the Exchange (SDMX) – Standards and tools
Statistical
Data
and Metadata
results of the review
International statistical standards and recommendations
NSOs quality assurance frameworks
I/O quality assurance frameworks
DQAF / SDDS / GDDS
IDBB / IDQAF / IDDS
I/Os common training and software
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PROGRESS SINCE Q2004
Fundamental principles for official statistics
Principles for international statistics
Technical standards, Version
2.0, released in November
National
International
Providers
Users
2005
statistical
agencies
agencies
Draft Content-oriented
guidelines disseminated for
public comment in March
2006.
Statistical Data and Metadata Exchange (SDMX) – Standards and tools
Several SDMX
implementation projects
statistical standards and recommendations
underway inInternational
OECD, ECB,
Eurostat, UN, IMF
NSOs quality assurance frameworks
I/O quality assurance frameworks
DQAF / SDDS / GDDS
IDBB / IDQAF / IDDS
I/Os common training and software
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PROGRESS SINCE Q2004
Fundamental principles for official statistics
Providers
National
statistical
agencies
Principles for international statistics
International
agencies
Users
Several I/Os have developed
different (though
Statistical Data
and Metadata Exchange (SDMX) – Standards and tools
overlapping)
quality
frameworks.
standards and recommendations
Most CCSA International
members dostatistical
not
have a quality framework.
NSOs
quality assurance
frameworks
Framework
task force
sent
out questionnaire in
February 2006 to CCSA
DQAF to
/ SDDS
/ GDDS
members
gauge
situation.
I/O quality assurance frameworks
IDBB / IDQAF / IDDS
I/Os common training and software
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PROGRESS SINCE Q2004
Fundamental principles for official statistics
Providers
National
statistical
agencies
Principles for international statistics
Existing training initiatives in
I/Os presented at CCSA in
September 2005
International
Users
Network
of
representatives
agencies
from CCSA members set up.
Action plan developed and
presented at March 2006
CCSA meeting.
Statistical Data and Metadata Exchange (SDMX) – Standards and tools
International statistical standards and recommendations
NSOs quality assurance frameworks
I/O quality assurance frameworks
DQAF / SDDS / GDDS
IDBB / IDQAF / IDDS
I/Os common training and software
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PROGRESS SINCE 2004
• Significant, but too slow
• No impact in terms of external perception, both
within the international statistical community, and
outside
• Resources are an important constraint, but lack of
strategic decisions in several IOs
• Mid-term planning of improvements/changes is
needed
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SEBC
SODI
Eurostat
ECB
SBS/R&D
Glossary
NAWWE
MacroEconomic
Trade in goods
UNSD
Joint hub on external debt
IMF
WB
BIS
MDG
ILO
FAO
Countrystat
UNESCO
MEI/IFS
OECD
National
accounts
Other UN
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POSSIBLE WAY FORWARD
PRINCIPLES/GOVERNANCE
• CCSA should establish a public web site, where
reports from IOs should be published
• Need to develop a common template/format for
reporting and a remote updating procedure (ECE
database on activities could be used)
•
Marketing is needed (press release, etc.)
• CCSA has to evolve, to become stronger and more
authoritative vis-à-vis top managers in IOs and
external world
• Report to UNSC in 2008
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POSSIBLE WAY FORWARD
TECHNICAL INFRASTRUCTURES/SDMX
• Data sharing between IOs should be expanded.
More joint hubs (MDGs, education, national
accounts, etc.) and mandate to ISWGs to develop
data structures.
• Design a network of common tools (glossaries,
knowledge bases, etc.) for the international
statistical system:
• OECD Glossary, StatWorks, MetaStore, etc.;
• Generalise FAO Countrystat approach, especially for
developing countries;
• DevInfo for dissemination and integration of databases.
• UNSC 2008: adoption of SDMX as standard
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POSSIBLE WAY FORWARD
QUALITY
• Speed up the work of the task-force
• Build a knowledge base on quality for IOs
• Develop International Data Dissemination
Standards (IDDS)
• Develop further the idea of “labelling” high quality
international statistics
• Experiment peer reviews, under the auspices of
CCSA
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