Statistical Organization and
Management:
Information Technology
Stefan Schweinfest, UNSD
Workshop for SADC Member States,
Luanda, December 2006
Rapid IT developments
advance capacities of statistical
agencies
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Powerful, cost-effective computers
User-friendly software
Computer networking
Intranet/Internet (WWW) technology
Managing Information
Technology
• General objectives:
• support of core function: producing and
disseminating official statistics
• meet the needs of substantive users
• cost effective
• avoid information anarchy
• Two principal models:
• Highly centralized informatics organization
• “Federation of solutions”
Some critical elements for
efficient IT management
• Build on customized software or off-the-shelf
products wherever possible
• Leave hardware infrastructure in hands of
specialist group
• Promote training activities as integral part of IT
development strategy
• Emphasize the importance of documentation
• Learn from past performance and experience of
other similar organizations
Why (and when) outsourcing
• Best solution when commercial products
and services can be adapted to the mission
requirements
• Market competition brings innovation and
reduces costs
• Specialized skills found among vendors are
difficult to maintain “in-house”
• Risks shared with vendors
Outsourcing challenges
• Do not jeopardize core functions or confidentiality
of information
• Maintain healthy business relationship with
commercial vendors
• Balance risk sharing vs. rewards sharing
(incentives/penalties)
• Develop necessary management skills for
outsourcing
‘IT pressure points’
for Chief Statisticians
• Continually new and different IT
capabilities and products (facts or claims)
• Lobbying by internal staff for a product
• Pressure to reduce costs and improve
delivery of products
IT Project management:
Good practices (I)
• Involve top-level management
• Employ effective risk analysis in guiding
direction
• Avoid untried leading-edge technologies
• Opt for small projects
• Involve end users in project formulation
IT Project management:
Good practices (II)
• Formulate explicit and detailed IT project plans:
– analyze return on investment
– identify risks and mitigation strategies
– ensure modular development to avoid large-scale
failures
– provide for oversight and review at crucial steps along
the way
IT Project management:
Good practices (III)
• When purchasing IT products
– avoid new or immature technologies
– assess results of others who have applied the
product
– determine product compatibility with existing
IT architecture of the organization
– assess risks and price/performance of the
product
Conclusions
• Key challenge: Balance management discipline
with drive for innovation in the application of IT
• Strategies for reducing risk of failure
– Involve top-level management
– Employ effective risk analysis
– Avoid leading-edge technologies
– Opt for small projects
– Involve end-users in project formulation