Statistics Denmark
communicating methodology
Ulla Agerskov
Topic (iv): Good practices in communicating methodology
Work Session on the Communication of Statistics ▼
Berlin 29 May 2013
>>
About me
 Ulla Agerskov, Senior Advisor,
Communication Centre
 [email protected], +45 3917 3939
 MSc Economics 1996
 Statistics Greenland 1997-2000
 Statistics Denmark since 2000
 Editor of Statistical Yearbook, News from
Statistics Denmark, communication, Social
medial, etc.
2
>>
Program
 Documentation and
methodology
 The challenges
 Quality declarations – new
setup
 New ways of communicating
methodology
 Errata
>>
Main types of documentation
A.
”What-documentation” – content of statistics
1) Quality-declarations and quality reports
2) Concepts
3) Variables
4) Categories and codes (classifications)
B. ”How-documentation” – how we produce the statistics
1) Management : Business Case, Project plan, Status,
Evaluation etc
2) Work-processes: (workflow, user-guides, process
descriptions etc.)
3) IT: Requirement-, Design-, Test-, Maintenance-documents
etc
4
Productive communicators
>>
of methodology
Subject matter units
Research and Methods
Communication Centre
>>
The challenge #1
>>
The challenge #2
1.
Metadata is not co-ordinated and integrated to fullfill user
demands
2.
Quality declarations do not follow EU-standards
3.
Variables: Presentation on the Internet is not consolidated –
not consistent
4.
Database of terms (not consolidated and consistent)
5.
Metadata is not integrated with the proces model in
Statistics Denmark (Documentation is usually made after the
productions of statistics)
6.
and the communication of methodology
>>
”Metadata must be connected and
reusable ”
StatBank
Methods/ ”Survey”
Methods papers
Quality declaration
Concept
Variable/dataset
Concepts
database
Hvad betyder
Variable database
Classifications
Klassifikationsdatabase
Class database
>> New project on metadata
 Purpose
• to fulfill external users needs for metadata in connection with
their use of statistics
• Achieve internal efficiency, one metadata-system easy to use
for all users.
 Detailed targets
• Prepere Peer Review in 2014: Implementation of relevant indicators
from EU’s Quality Assurance Frame-work.
• Fulfill demands to the content of quality declarations (EU-grant
received).
>> Time schedule
 1. Pilot part 1 (spring 2013)
•
User needs: dst.dk (strategy, method, prototype etc)
•
Quality declarations - simple version (demands, development and test on 5
statistics)
•
Work processes and guidelines
•
Terms and classifications (strategy, methods, etc.)
 2. Pilot part 2 (fall 2013)
•
Quality declarations and metadata (demands, development and test on 5
statistics)
•
Courses, etc.
3. Evaluation of pilots and plan for 2014 (November og December 2013)
4. Adjustments and implementation (2014)
•
Demands, development and tests on 5 statistics
•
New setup implemented
6. Evaluation (November and December 2014)
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Quality declarations
Present version:
Loads of
information
Without angle
Without target
group
>>
Quality declaration – new setup
Introduction
Prototype
Contents
Accuracy
Comparability
Must be further
developed - on the
basis of input from
internal and external
users
More news-oriented
and targeted
Accessibility
Time
Contact
Must suit the needs
of many different
users: Specialists,
journalists, students,
etc.
New ways of communicating
>>
methodology
 Subject pages – www.dst.dk
 Videos
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Errata
An error is
detected:
Published
instantly on
the web and
errata send to
subscribers of
the statistics
>>
Errata
A brief
explanation
on the front
page
Errors in News from Statistics
>>
Denmark
Number
Trends in
errors
45
40
Total
35
Based on a
systematic
reporting of
errors:
30
25
20
Minor
15
Limited
10
Explanation,
type, etc.
5
Serious
0
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
>>
Why and where?
Limited
Per cent
Serious
100
Data input:
Serious errors
90
Production:
Mixed
80
70
60
50
Errors in
dissimination:
Limited
40
30
20
10
0
2006200720082009201020112012
Data input
2006200720082009201020112012
Production of statistics
2006200720082009201020112012
Dissimination
The End!