Involving Data Users in the Planning
Process
Who are your data users?
Why do you meet with your data users?
When do you meet with your data users?
What do you discuss with your data users?
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Why
A census or survey relies on a large, diverse group of
stakeholders to fulfill its mission of informing citizens,
businesses and governments about the socioeconomic conditions and trends of the country.
Many of these stakeholders are important data users.
The involvement of stakeholders in all aspects of a
census or survey is crucial to ensuring that it meets
the data needs of all.
Presenting example tabulations derived from
questionnaire topics helps clarify data users’ needs.
2
Census/Survey Stakeholders

Governmental agencies:

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Private sector companies:

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Data used to meet legislative needs, develop policies, and plan
programs and services.
Data used for determining markets, selecting locations for plants
or enterprises, route planning, and preparing advertising
campaigns. Their interest lies mainly in small area data.
Census/Survey Stakeholders

Academics:

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Libraries:

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Data used for teaching and research purposes. Academics can
also provide insights, help identify data gaps, and enhance the
visibility of statistical data through research and analytical
activities. This group has an interest in historical data to analyze
trends.
Libraries serve corporations, universities, communities and
governmental departments. Partnerships with libraries increase
public access to statistical data and ensure future generations are
more familiar with statistical data products.
Census/Survey Stakeholders

Non-governmental organizations:


Media and the general public:

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Community and cultural associations, religious groups, labor
unions and professional associations use statistical information
to assess the socio-economic conditions of specific groups.
This information helps determine the need for special
assistance programs and helps monitor their effectiveness.
The media uses statistical information to inform the general
public about the socio-economic conditions of the country.
There also exists a partnership between the statistical office
and the public as respondents.
What is the main factor that determines
a survey’s success?
Achieving a high rate of respondent participation
A good public opinion and high level of
satisfaction with your data products will help
you achieve high response rates.
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Determination of Census/Survey Content
Historical continuity is important, however as new data
needs emerge, content must be revised to address new
issues.
Modifications are determined after considering legal
requirements, alternative data sources, information need,
respondents’ reaction, and costs involved.
Once content has been revised, all new questions and
changes must be carefully tested with respondents. These
tests help gauge content effectiveness, cost, data
comparability, and the impact on collection, processing and
dissemination procedures.
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Involvement of Stakeholders
Ensure relevancy of data produced to current and
emerging needs of data users through periodic
consultation activities.
Consultations may include federal and local
governments, special topic advisory committees,
international organizations, and other client groups.
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Maintaining Relevance
Client Liaison
Program Review
Priority Determination
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Client Liaison
A statistical agency requires mechanisms to stay aware of the current and
future information needs of its main user communities.
Potential mechanisms include:
National statistical council to provide advice on policy and priorities for statistical
programs
 Professional advisory committees in major subject areas
 Liaison agreements with key federal government ministries
 Participation of the statistical agency in policy and program discussions among
ministers including access to ministry proposals so that statistical data needs in
proposed decisions and/or programs can be identified
 Regional consultative councils on statistical policies to maintain awareness of regional
statistical needs
 Meetings with major industry and small business associations
 Agency wide client database
 Scheduled, documented, monitored communication with clients
 Feedback through individual users and user inquiries (documentation)

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Program Review
In addition to Client Liaison mechanisms a periodic program review is
also needed to assess whether existing programs are satisfying user
needs in terms of topics addressed, accuracy, and timeliness.
Potential mechanisms for review of current programs:
 Independent
expert consults user community and makes
recommendations on program changes
 Program
area gathers and assesses feedback information in report
form
 Program
area compares importance of lowest priority sub-program
with new suggested sub-programs
 Statistical
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agency conducts user satisfaction surveys and monitors
sales and/or usage of statistical products
Priority Determination
This is the process for considering, and acting upon, the information
gleaned from user consultations and program review.
It requires the exercise of judgement in weighing the diverse needs of
different user groups and involves recognizing and pursuing
opportunities for obtaining new financing to meet high priority
information needs.
Usually the regular annual planning cycle (timed with the fiscal year) is
the core of this process.
In determining priorities a balance has to be struck between the need
for change and improvement and the need to satisfy the important
ongoing requirements served by the core program.
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Monitoring Relevancy
 Are
processes in place to ensure relevancy?

Client liaison

Program review

Priority determination
 Are
clients using the data?

Sales/usage reports and internet hits

Direct or indirect policy change

Press coverage
 What
program changes have been made in response to client
needs?
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When
Consultative meetings should be started early in the
planning process with a broad range of data users to
avoid changes as materials are being developed.
These meetings should be conducted on a periodic
basis throughout the census/survey to report any
changes, provide progress updates, and keep users
informed of the statistical process.
It’s important to involve data users early in the
census/survey process. The data users should be
partners in the process, not critical observers.
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What
It’s important to identify the current and emerging
needs of all your data users. There may be
similarities in the various requests for information.
Compromises could reduce the data collection and
respondent burden.
The tabular presentation of data should be discussed
to ensure that you’re collecting and presenting the
data needed by users. Data could possibly be
presented in new ways to reduce the tabulation
burden.
15
Stakeholder Request
Despite the existence of effective vaccines and the efforts of government to promote
inoculation, large numbers of children continue to be unprotected against communicable
diseases. This is an especially serious problem among children in lower socioeconomic
groups, where crowded and unsanitary living conditions increase the likelihood of infection.
You have been asked by the Ministry of Health to develop a project which will provide an
indication of the degree of protection among children and the effectiveness of government
efforts to promote universal inoculation.
Alternative sources of information do exist but their completeness and quality are
questionable. Records at local health clinics are not in a standard format and only identify
those children who have received inoculations. No attempt has been made to identify
children receiving other health care but who have not received inoculations. In addition,
coverage is limited to those areas having access to a health clinic.
An annual labor force survey is conducted in the country and obtains information for both
urban and rural households. As sample design information and maps are available it has
been decided that a biannual (every two years) household survey is the best approach to
obtain the information. This survey will be conducted initially over a period of five years.
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Group Activity
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1.
Make a list of the pieces of information you
require to understand the stakeholders’
needs and the available information
resources
2.
Develop a draft definition of the project