Expert Group Meeting: Opportunities and advantages of enhanced collaboration on statistical information management in Asia and the Pacific, 20‐22 June 2011, Bangkok, Thailand
Benefits achieved from the
Accelerated Data Program
S.A.S.Bandulasena
Actg. Director, Dept. of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka
Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) - SRI LANKA
Contents
•National Statistical System •Department of Census and Statistics (DCS)
•Dissemination Policy and Process of DCS
•Accelerated Data Program (ADP)
•Benefits Envisaged/Achieved from ADP
•Conclusion
Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) - SRI LANKA
National Statistical System (NSS)
Statistics branches of
Ministries / Depts.
(about 46)
DCS
Other National
& International
Agencies
Divisions of Head Office
(Technical Divisions)
Statistics Offices in Sub
National levels (Districts)
Statistical Activities of DCS
Statistical
Data
Statistical Activities/
Administrative Record Keeping
Statistical
Data
Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) - SRI LANKA
Statistical
Activities
Statistical
Data
Dissemination Policy and Process
 Census and Survey Data
 Administrative Records
 Preparation of Indices (Price Index, GDP, Inflation etc.)
 Data for Government policy makers
 Data for Research purposes (requested by the research community)
 Confidentiality secured by the ordinances Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) - SRI LANKA
Dissemination Methods
 Survey Reports
 Publications
 Press conferences
 Web site
 Library
 Microdata laboratory  National Data Archive  Releasing microdata files according to the Data Dissemination Policy of DCS
Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) - SRI LANKA
Accelerated Data Program [ADP]
ADP Philosophy:
Inventory and dissemination of existing data
International Household Survey Network “Microdata Management Toolkit” and guidelines (for documentation, dissemination)
Analysis and assessment of existing data Review of survey methods and practices
Design medium‐term survey programs (within NSDS)
Support new data collection activities
Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) - SRI LANKA
Accelerated Data Program (Contd.)
ADP Tasks…..
Task 1 :
Inventory , Documentation & Dissemination
of existing Survey Microdata
Task 2 :
Analysis of existing Survey data &
Assessment of the past Survey Program
Task 3 :
Development of an improved survey program
and data collection
Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) - SRI LANKA
Accelerated Data Program (Contd.)
2002 - Subscribed to the General Data Dissemination
System of the IMF
2007 – Launched ADP
2008 - Implemented Task 1 in January
( with Support World Bank/Paris21)
2009 - Launched the Web based Data catalogue
Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) - SRI LANKA
Steps in Task 1 of ADP
I. Establishing Microdata Laboratory - 2008
• Appointed ADP coordinator from each Technical Division of DCS
• Recruited two (02) Consultants to monitor and execute the program
II. Inventory of microdata -2008
III. Compiled an inventory obtaining information from DCS, Other Government
institutions and Other national and international organizations -2008
IV.Expertise in micro data anonymization - Pending
V. National Data Archive -2008
•Trained 37 personnel including the coordinators on IHSN Microdata
Management Toolkit
VI.Launch of national microdata archive online -2009
VII.Update to Dissemination Policy – using current policy
Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) - SRI LANKA
Areas of Concern & Solutions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Lack of awareness among data owners
Assigning responsibility
Poor standards in creating data dictionary
Initiating the archiving of a new study
Unavailability of past documentation
Bringing about a team culture
Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) - SRI LANKA
Documenting and Archiving of Data sets
Almost all the datasets produced by the Censuses and Surveys conducted since 1970
have been documented as shown below
Sector
No. of data sets
Agriculture
69
Population & Demography
10
Industries
30
National Accounts
41
Education
26
Health
11
Vital Statistics
81
Labour Force
56
Other
40
Total
364
Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) - SRI LANKA
LankaDatta Web site
 LankaDatta web site can be accessed through DCS web site
www.statistics.gov.lk
or
www.surveynetwork.org/adp/
Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) - SRI LANKA
Click here to enter NADA Site
National Data Archive of Sri Lanka
Policies and Procedures
Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) - SRI LANKA
Browse Metadata
Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) - SRI LANKA
Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) - SRI LANKA
Browse Metadata
• Metadata Menu helps to access survey metadata
Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) - SRI LANKA
Access Policy
Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) - SRI LANKA
Benefits Envisaged/Achieved from ADP
DCS is not the coordinator for the other non Govt. agencies
Possible outcomes : duplication of surveys, contradicting figures, quality differences, non‐standard practices and so forth.
However coordination among the Govt. statistical units are satisfactory as most of their key positions are manned with DCS’
technical staff. Benefits to DCS from ADP
Set up a National Microdata Archive which will automatically give DCS some coordinating power. This will allow DCS to initiate talks with other agencies on appointing a national statistical coordinator.
Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) - SRI LANKA
Benefits Envisaged/Acheived from ADP
(Contd.)
Documentation expenditure – less filing of stationery will be needed. Record room costs – record room capacities could be reduced and cost will be saved.
Survey design costs in terms of time and effort – no need to start a survey from scratch. Information localizing in different Divisions – All the details will be in a central repository.
Benefits Envisaged from ADP
(Contd.)
Staff needs more research experience
An improved microdata archive will allow the researchers to get at
survey data without much hassle. Availability of metadata will
widen the knowledge of researchers and the interested students
alike.
Thus DCS will encourage staff researchers to be involved in more
and more analyses work and create a new research culture.
Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) - SRI LANKA
Beneifits Envisaged/Achieved from ADP
(Contd.)
Demand for Data
Making Microdata catalogues available on the web will expand the user community Nationally and Internationally and the role of DCS will be very much prominent. This way, the rank of importance of DCS in the list of the Government institutions will be secured and the demand for data and the investment will be justified.
Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) - SRI LANKA
How the Centralization helps
Thanks to NADA, metadata are available for viewing by the local and overseas agencies as well as the researchers.
Expect an increase in the number of inquiries made on surveys with the implementation of centralization.
More frequent interactions of technical staff with the outside world (presently rare).
Opportunity to display our professional strengths.
Conclusion
Thank you
Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) - SRI LANKA