Page 1
United Nations Economic Commission for EuropeStatistical DivisionUnited Nations Economic Commission for EuropeStatistical Division
Developing our Service Abilities
Strategic Challenges for Statistical Agencies
Presentation prepared for the IAOS Conference, Session 3,“User demands for official statistics”
Shanghai, China, 14 October 2008Petteri Baer, Regional Adviser, UNECE
Page 2
14.10.2008 Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 2
User demands – how can they be found out?
Is knowing user demands important – or not?
Not a simple task Which users’ voices
are heard? How good is the
coverage of our information sources?
Page 3
14.10.2008 Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 3
More and more statistical publication takes place on the internet…
This is a very positive development
Availability and accessibility of official statistics has grown substantially
In the beginning of the year 2008• > 500 Million internet
hosts in the world!
Internet hosts in the Worldin the beginning of each year
* Millions *
0.00002 0.03 0.716
147
433
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
1982 1987 1992 1997 2002 2007
Page 4
14.10.2008 Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 4
How do we perceive ourselves? How do decision makers perceive our services?
How important is our role in real decision making?
In practical terms? How covering is our
information on users? Do we know enough
about our potential users, our potential customers?
Page 5
14.10.2008 Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 5
User demands – the basic ones
User friendly Easily accessible Understandable and clear Focused on the essentials With visual presentations Impressive Balanced
Page 6
14.10.2008 Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 6
Basic quality demands for statistical services
Q=
Relevance Accuracy Timeliness Punctuality Accessibility Clarity and Comparability
Page 7
14.10.2008 Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 7
Trade-offs almost every day
Timeliness is a must – but what about accuracy?
Relevance is a must – but what about needs specific only to one or a few users?
Remember:Only used statistics is useful statistics
Page 8
14.10.2008 Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 8
User friendly statistical services
…can be established only through interaction with users• Interaction with real users• Not with solely our
imagination on them• Not only governmental
users• Not only the ones we by
tradition are mainly used to
Page 9
14.10.2008 Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 9
If we do not know our users
We will not know how satisfied or dissatisfied they are with the present services we provide
We will not know about any unmet needs in the field of statistics
It will be difficult to develop services that better fit their information needs.
Page 10
14.10.2008 Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 10
Who bears the responsibility that communication with users works well?
The future… The importance… Our place in society
is at stake… Users’ judgement
may well define, how of our statistical services are perceived and used
Page 11
14.10.2008 Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 11
Who bears the responsibility that communication with users works well? (2) Is it the individual
statistician, the subject-matter expert?
Program managers? Information & PR Unit? Or – Is it a challenge for
the top management?• Who should bring in a
systematic approach on building user relations, if it is missing?
3.6.1999
Source: Seppo Määttä & Timo Ojala (1999). TASAPAINOISEN ONNISTUMISEN HAASTE - Johtamin en julkisellasektoril la ja Balanced Scorecard. Edita Oy.
MissionMandate
Responsibilities
CapabilitiesResources
STRATEGIC SCOPE
Page 12
14.10.2008 Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 12
Back to the basics:
Who are our stakeholders? Government &
Ministries Parliament President The National Bank &
other central gvt Regional & locaal
governing bodies
Is THIS the list?
Page 13
14.10.2008 Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 13
Different user groups have different need structures Consequently they have varying
demands for statistical services• Business people versus researchers• Local authorieties – comparisons with other
local authorities and with the average• NGOs, lobbyists – focus on the themes,
relevant for their interest group It is not wise to serve them all with the
same common approach
Page 14
14.10.2008 Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 14
A modulated approach - basics for efficient user services The importance of
• A good information architecture
• Effective databases• Metadata information
available• Linking identifications
exist between different data
• XML helps to build electronic bridges
Page 15
14.10.2008 Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 15
Often it is not easy, especially if different divisions work in silos - and behave as that would be ideal
Page 16
14.10.2008 Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 16
Internet has in recent years pushed for building corporate imagos
It has also highlighted the often very different approaches different departments/divisions/units may have on ways of publishing data
Sometimes these differences are reflected on the web site of the NSO!
Page 17
14.10.2008 Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 17
Following elements are usually found on a NSO`s web site
Statistical releases, Press releases Statistics by topics and subject matters; Key figures; Calculators Frequency of baby names service Contact us / Feedback / Privacy statement Search / Site map / Help Links to other national and international
statistical agencies What’s new (on our web site)?
Page 18
14.10.2008 Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 18
Other possibilities for service development on the web
Statistics by popular themes and topics First visit service for new visitors Services made available by user group Notifying special days with statistical
information materials Links to relevant Wikipedia pages Use of new web tools, Internet 2 Service pages with top actual themes: What’s
hot?
Page 19
14.10.2008 Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 19
User needs are specific – not “general”
All user needs are specific
Their satisfaction should be developed in communication and cooperation with the users
For this categorization and contacts are needed
No errors in basic data
Delivery on time
Delays are reported
Data supplied in desired form
Comparability of data
Customer is taken into consideration
Friendly staff
Finding the right persons
Accessibility of staff
Data delivered with speed
Data up-to-date
Information about the data/service
Data meets demand
Tailored data value for money
Further processing of data sufficient
6 7 8 9 10
6 7 8 9 10
Page 20
14.10.2008 Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 20
One way to categorize users
Central administration Local administration Corporations and
enterprises Educational institutions
and public libraries Research institutions Organizations Media
Page 21
14.10.2008 Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 21
Lithuania’s impressive Statistical literacy plan
Promoting statistical literacy among users
Targets: All main user categories
When? During 2008 – 2012
Special attention to educational institutions and businesses
Page 22
14.10.2008 Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 22
Concept of Statistical literacy in Statistics Lithuania
Page 23
14.10.2008 Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 23
Tools assisting work for better satisfaction of user needs
Customer databases• Information on regular and heavy users
Customer Relationship Management system• For good and systenmatic follow-up and
planning of interaction with regular and heavy users
• Example NSO:s: Canada, Finland, Estonia Business Intelligence systems
Page 24
14.10.2008 Petteri Baer - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 24
But – that’s already another story
Thank you for your attention
Remember:• Only used statistics is
useful statistics Final question – who
will have the responsibility for systematic satisfaction of user needs?
A learningCustomerRelationship