The Quality of Data in Britain Jil Matheson, National Statistician 15 January 2013
A tradition of data Florence Central Statistical Domesday Book 1801 census Nightingale Office East India Statistical societies Computing age Vital Company statistics statistics
Why is quality important? • Around a thousand official statistical outputs, covering the economy and society • Used in decision making and public debate • Influence on financial markets
Quality in official statistics The Board is …to promote and safeguard— (a) the quality of official statistics, (b) good practice in relation to official statistics, and (c) the comprehensiveness of official statistics. …references to the quality of any official statistics includes — (a) their impartiality, accuracy and relevance, and (b) their coherence with other official statistics. Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007
Quality in official statistics Principle 4: Sound methods and assured quality Quality should be monitored and assured, taking account of internationally agreed practices. • …a level of quality that meets users’ needs, and that users are informed about the quality… • Adopt quality assurance procedures… • Publish quality guidelines... Code of Practice for Official Statistics
What is quality? Fit for Accuracy Trust? purpose
European Dimensions of Quality • Relevance Fit for Accuracy Trust? purpose • Accuracy • Timeliness & punctuality • Accessibility & clarity • Comparability • Coherence
Public Trust in Statistics Fit for Trust? purpose
Census: Quality since 1801 • Quality of census figures have always been challenged • Improved quality and confidence in the census through various methods… Comparing Post- with other Community enumeration data involvement surveys Technology: Adjusting for Question improve process, an under testing and reduce errors count field testing
The census, internationally Growing importance of quality internationally • Standardised concepts • Harmonised methods
Crime: Admin and Survey Data
GDP: Quality Trade-Offs Accuracy Timeliness
Migration: Improving Quality • Questions about quality • Meet user needs by keeping pace with real world changes • Improvements in timeliness, accuracy and coherence
Importance of migration
Brave new world of data “Data is the 21 st century’s new raw material” • Enormous growth in information (5 exabytes = all the words ever spoken by mankind) • Should statisticians make better use of this type of data? How?
Big Data, Big Questions Can it be Is big data trusted? What is the competing with quality of this traditional information? statistics? How much of this information is “data”? Can statisticians Are we the “wise use this new old men/women” of type of data? statistics? Or can we How? challenge these new kids on the block?
Using big data House price inflation and estate agent searches • Quality assurance? • Nowcasting? • An alternative data source?
Communicating statistics Changing ways of accessing data… CRUCIAL information HELPFUL Intro information Nice to Details know …leads to changes in how Conclusion we communicate
Quality and Trust Access to data and statistics is more and more removed from the original source. • Do people understand what they see? • Do people trust what they see? • How can we convey the quality?
What’s our brand? Trusted brands with Are statistics trusted? an expected level of Do people know what quality quality to expect?
Challenges for official statisticians Budgets Outputs People
Responding to the challenge Rebalancing our activities… Right Statistics Right Methods Right Impact
What is a statistician? Adding Assessing value quality Telling the Finding the stories messages Collaborating
The Quality of Data in Britain Our understanding of quality keeps changing Adapt Uphold our reputation
Recommend
More recommend
