Part A - The Corporate Context
Download Part A (July 2006) |
|
A.3. Corporate Value Proposition for Metadata Management
3.1 Statistical Metadata System (SMS) Role in Statistical Organization
What is a Statistical Metadata System?
The definition "metadata is information about information" predetermines that the Statistical Metadata System (SMS) contains information about the Statistical Information System (SIS).
In general, metadata has two basic functions. The first is to uniquely and formally define the content and links between objects and processes of the SIS. The second function is to determine all related technical parameters. When designing the SMS, priority should be given to issues relating to content.
In an environment of rapid development of information and communication technologies, developing efficient strategies for the production and dissemination of statistics is a challenge. The growing use of Internet has caused significant change in the priorities of the SMS functions. In the past, priority was often given to technical metadata and IT challenges, whereas now there has been a clear shift to prioritizing content and methodological issues.
Due to these changes, integrated and transparent description of information flows inside and outside statistical offices has become inevitable. The use of technology for data collection, interactive communication with users, and dissemination of statistics, calls for a coherent and well functioning SMS.
The SMS implementation should be independent of the technology employed for the statistical data processing. However, the links between SMS and e-processing systems must be ensured. Processing of statistical data should be driven by metadata stored in SMS.
What is the Role of the SMS?
The success of an SMS can be measured by the extent to which the needs of diverse groups of statistical metadata users are satisfied. The need for metadata is defined by the various activities, tasks and processes carried out inside a statistical organization. All those activities and processes make up the SIS and strategy of the statistical organization. Therefore, the role of SMS should be understood in the context of processes and activities of SIS.
The basic framework for the role of the SMS in statistical organizations is defined in:
In reference to these documents, the SMS should support namely the following principles:
The Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics
Principle 2. To retain trust in official statistics, the statistical agencies need to decide according to strictly professional considerations, including scientific principles and professional ethics, on the methods and procedures for the collection, processing, storage and presentation of statistical data.
Principle 3. To facilitate a correct interpretation of the data, the statistical agencies are to present information according to scientific standards on the sources, methods and procedures of the statistics.
Principle 5. Data for statistical purposes may be drawn from all types of sources, be they statistical surveys or administrative records. Statistical agencies are to choose the source with regard to quality, timeliness, costs and the burden on respondents.
Principle 8. Coordination among statistical agencies within countries is essential to achieve consistency and efficiency in the statistical system.
Principle 9. The use by statistical agencies in each country of international concepts, classifications and methods promotes the consistency and efficiency of statistical systems at all official levels.
|
The Principles Governing International Statistical Activities
Principle 1. High quality international statistics, accessible for all, are a fundamental element of global information systems
Principle 2. To maintain the trust in international statistics, their production is to be impartial and strictly based on the highest professional standards
Principle 4. Concepts, definitions, classifications, sources, methods and procedures employed in the production of international statistics are chosen to meet professional scientific standards and are made transparent for the users
Principle 5. Sources and methods for data collection are appropriately chosen to ensure timeliness and other aspects of quality, to be cost-efficient and to minimise the reporting burden for data providers
Principle 7. Erroneous interpretation and misuse of statistics are to be immediately appropriately addressed
|
In this context, the SMS should be a tool enabling a statistical organization to perform effectively the following main functions:
-
Production of official statistics. Management of all phases of statistical data production.
-
Documentation of data collection, storage, evaluation and dissemination.
-
Planning, designing, implementing and evaluating statistical production processes.
-
Management of methodological activities. Standardizing and documenting the concept definitions and classifications.
-
Management of cooperation with end users of statistical data and information and facilitation of user feedback.
-
Enhancing availability of statistical metadata and data for clients. Improved discovery and exchange of data between the statistical office (SO) and its users.
-
Improved quality and transparency of statistical data. Observing and evaluating the quality of statistical data is one of the most important goals of statistical activities. To this end, national and international SOs have adopted a set of criteria (relevance and completeness, comparability and coherence of statistical concepts, accuracy of statistical estimations, timeliness and punctuality of delivered statistical information, its accessibility and clarity). SMS should offer a relevant set of metadata for all of these criteria.
-
Management of statistical data sources and cooperation with respondents.
-
Dissemination of statistical information to end-users. End users need reliable metadata for searching, navigation, and interpretation. There should be also metadata available to assist post-processing of statistical data.
-
Improved integration of SIS with other national information systems. There is a growing need to use administrative data for statistical purposes. It calls for better integration and sharing metadata among statistics and state administration in order to ensure coherence and consistency of exchanged information.
-
Improved integration of SIS with information systems of international organizations. International organizations (e.g. Eurostat, OECD, UN, IMF and others) are increasingly requiring an integration of their own metadata with metadata of national statistical offices in order to make the flow of statistical information more comparable and compatible. Use of official agreed standards.
-
Management, unification and standardization of the workflows and processes inside the SO.
-
Knowledge base on the processes of SIS. It enables also to share such knowledge among the statistical staff and to minimize the risk related with its migration.
-
Improved administration of SIS encompassing namely responsibilities, legislation, performance, users’ satisfaction.
-
Facilitate the evaluation of costs and revenues for the SO.
-
Unified conception of statistical terminology as a vehicle for better communication and understanding between managers, designers, subject matter statisticians, methodologists, respondents and users of SIS.
Download Part A (July 2006) |
|
A.1. Introduction
A.2. Target audiences
A.3. Corporate Value Proposition for Metadata Management
A.4. Metadata management strategies and policy framework
A.5. Core principles for metadata management
A.6. Corporate Governance Models for Metadata Management
A.7. Case Studies and Experiences
Glossary of terms and abbreviations
References