Kommunikasjon: Statistical storytelling and quality in the age of open data

Statistical storytelling and quality

in the age of open data

Bergen, 14-16 August, 2013

Sesjon 4: Kommunikation til brukeren

Maija Metsä-Pauri, Statistics Finland

About the authors of the paper

Ms Kirsti Ahlqvist

D.Pol.Sc (Economic and

social history)

Senior Researcher,

Population and Social

Statistics

Editor, Social Statistics

Review

[email protected]

Ms Maija Metsä-Pauri

MSSc (Political science)

Editor-in-chief,

Tieto&trendit (Facts and

Trends) -periodical, Project

manager for renewing the

website

Active in piloting social

media (blog)

[email protected]

Bergen, August 2013

2 Maija Metsä-Pauri

What’s happening around us…and fast?

Towards evidence-based decision-making -> quality and

understanding of statistical data matters!

Changing user needs -> relevance of statistical concepts

Digitalisation, going mobile, social media, “media in

transition” –> effects on dissemination and communication

The big challenges of Big Data -> Huge impact on official

statistics

Open data and emerging data journalism, appealing data

vizualisations -> Reassessing our role?

Bergen, August 2013

3 Maija Metsä-Pauri

From dissemination to communication

Communication as a crucial part of all activities and as an

objective

Agile monitoring different user groups and changing data

needs

Improving of the analytical approach and quality in all

communication activities

Use of new presentation tools (e.g. dynamic animations,

interactive applications) when needed

New collaboration possibilities (e.g. in the field of data

journalism)

Bergen, August 2013

4 Maija Metsä-Pauri

Tieto&trendit (Facts and Trends)

Towards interactive communication with our readers

- a new website and a blog launched in February 2013

http://tietotrendit.stat.fi

Bergen, August 2013

5 Maija Metsä-Pauri

http://tietotrenditblogi.stat.fi/miksi-ruuan-hinta-karkaa-

k%C3%A4sist%C3%A4/

Bergen, August 2013

6 Maija Metsä-Pauri

Hyvinvointikatsaus, Social Statistics Review http://tilastokeskus.fi/tup/hyvinvointikatsaus/index.html

a thematic publication

within social statistics

four times per year in print

and partially on the web

one expert seminar per

year – a fruitful live

discussion with the

research community

Bergen, August 2013

7 Maija Metsä-Pauri

New inspiring openings

In June 2013 Statistics Finland participated in the World Conference of

Science Journalists by producing a workshop on data journalism in

practice. (Photo: Markku Huttunen)

http://wcsj2013.org/data-journalism-open-data-exploring-interpreting-

presenting-open-data/

Bergen, August 2013

8 Maija Metsä-Pauri

What lies ahead of us?

Goal-oriented and controlled implementation of web

publishing, quality cannot suffer

Recognising and analysing topical phenomena that are

relevant and influential for our time (often requires cross-

statistical examination)

Development of diversified knowledge (phenomenon and

methodological knowledge, communication knowledge,

innovative methods of team work…)

Bergen, August 2013

9 Maija Metsä-Pauri

…and what does it require

Statisticians need to be active as tellers of statistical stories

and critical assessors of the stories presented elsewhere

(particularly if they are false)

Our role in increasing data journalism is assessed and our

vision sharpened

Collaboration and experimenting in data vizualisation (if its

valuable for the story)

Bergen, August 2013

10 Maija Metsä-Pauri

More emphasis on quality instead of quantity

Otherwise there’s a danger that just the opposite

happens!

Bergen, August 2013

11 Maija Metsä-Pauri

…and passion for valuable statistics

Thank you!