Implementation of Eurostat
Quality Declarations with CostEffective Use of Standards
Q2014 - European conference on quality in statistics
Vienna 2-5 June 2014
Mogens Grosen Nielsen & Lars Thygesen,
Statistics Denmark
E-mail: mgn@dst.dk
Agenda
1.On-going project – vision
and implementation
2.Quality framework and
related standards
3.Challenges
4.Conclusions
Vision and focus
at Statistics Denmark
1.
Statistical information must help
users in the “turbulent informationsea”
Metadata about content and quality
must
2.
–
–
3.
help users in their knowledge
processes
give users precise information about
our products
International standards and
standard software must enable:
–
–
–
Cost efficient solution
Gradual implementation with few
ressources
Sustainable long term solution
”Classical” metadata elements
implemented using Data Documenation
initiative (DDI) and SDMX
StatBank
Methods/ ”Survey”
Methods papers
Quality declaration
Concept
Variable/dataset
Concepts
database
Hvad betyder
Variable database
Classifications
Klassifikationsdatabase
Class database
THE SOLU-
Enter Q.D.
Publish at Dst.dk
REUSE EXISTING
METADATA
TION
METADATA
IN
COLECTICA
Publish at the Intranet
Q.D. to EU
Single Integrated Metadata Structure
(SIMS) and reporting formats: ESMS and
ESQRS
6
Work processes and quality declarations
Needs :
Fill in user needs
etc.
Analyse :
Fill in accuracy
etc.
7
Work processes and quality declarations
in Colectica – Retail Trade index
Workprocesses and quality declarations
in Colectica – Retail Trade index
Transmission to Eurostat and customized
presentation in reports and at dst.dk
- Many views into quality declarations to support various
users
- Example: Extract from report with summary information
for Retail Trade Index
Status on EU-grant project
 System using Colectica, DDI and SDMX in place
 SIMS quality concept classification inside with
integration to concept database
 Files to Eurostat complying with ESMS and ESQRS
metadata structure definitions can be generated
 Guidelines and course material prepared
 About 100 surveys created and subject matter staff
are working to transform from old to new standardbased quality declarations
Implementation of Eurostat Quality Framework
12
Quality defineed and requirement for
the Quality management system
Definition of quality: “the degree to which a set of inherent
characteristics of processes and products fulfils requirements”
1. Define content: SIMS
2. Guidelines for
production
processes
3. User needs: survey
specfic and quality /
metadata specific
4. Quality organisation
13
Challenge #1 User needs
Challenge

Increase in number of user demand on content
Response

Focus-groups
 Improved dissemination
Suggestion for research and development

How to improve dissemination of information on content and
quality dimensions
 How to ensure descriptions of society fulfilling the
democratic ideal on information
14
Challenge #2 Corporate level issues
Challenge

Stove pipes
Response

Stepwise implementation towards end-to-end processes
Suggestion for research and development

How to implement efficient end-to-end processes (value
chains)
 Business Process Management
15
Challenge #3 Integrating quality into
business processes
Challenge

Weak awareness on systematic quality work
 How to put quality elements into GSBPM
Solution

Describe each SIMS element in one or more GSBPM
processes
Suggestion for research and development

Improve integration of SIMS, QAF and GSBPM
16
Challenge #4 Standards and technical
implementation
Challenge

Reuse of metadata
 Short term solution must not conflict with long term solutions
Solution

Standards (DDI, SDMX etc.) implemented stepwise
Suggestion for research and development

How to implement stepwise standards with different
ambition levels
 GSIM should be improved towards practical use
17
Cost-efficient solutions at Member
State and Eurostat level
Challenge

How to handle the four challenges above at Member and Eurostat
level in a coordinated manner?
Solution

Implement the same standards at different ambition-levels
Suggestion for research and development

How do organisations work as social systems and how to
improve cooperation of organisation
18
Main conclusions to increase cost
effectiveness
Think global, act local
Implement the same standards
at National and International
level, but with different
ambition-levels
Build modern library
catolog systems
Access to Quality and
Metadata should be like
shopping at Amazon
More R&D on how to
a) fulfill user needs
b) integrate quality and metadata into processes
19
The End!