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This document has been issued without formal editing.
I.
INTRODUCTION
As recommended by the Working
Party, one of the guidelines to be produced
within 1999 will be on the topic of dissemination.
A suggested outline of the guidelines is given
in chapter II of this paper for the consideration
of the Working Party and for comments and suggestions
for improvement. The objectives, scope and target
audience of the guidelines are summarized in
section B of the "introductory chapter" on page
3.
The Working Party's guidance is also sought
on arrangements for the drafting of various
chapters. It is recommended that the different
chapters be drafted by the national statistical
offices (NSOs) represented on the Working Party
and that the guidelines be consolidated by the
secretariat in advance of the next meeting in
Manila. If it is felt necessary, the secretariat
may seek the assistance of an expert from outside
the secretariat, utilizing consultancy funds
under the project, for completing some parts
of the guidelines.
II.
SUGGESTED OUTLINE
INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER
A.
Importance of Population Data Dissemination
This section will describe the importance
of population data and the significance of their
dissemination. It will explain how population
data constitute an integral and important component
of the statistical information base that is
essential for planning economic and social development,
policy formulation, decision making, administration
and, among others, scientific research activities.
Since research and analysis on various demographic,
social and economic concerns involve local,
national, regional and international issues,
the issues of international comparability and
need for producing disaggregated data will also
be exposed.
B.
Objectives, Scope and Target Audience of the Guidelines
Objectives
The products and services based on population
data are aimed at meeting legal obligations,
such as those from the population census, and
the needs of a variety of data users at local,
national and international levels. Recently,
the interest of the private sector in population
data has grown significantly, while in general
the spread of the greater use of information
technology (IT) by individuals and organizations
has multiplied the number of users of demographic
data and the demand for them. The challenges
for data producers remain the same: to meet
the ever growing demand for data in a timely
and cost-effective manner while at the same
time maintaining the high quality of their products
and services. In that regard the effective use
of IT is considered important, if not essential.
The guidelines will address these and other
related issues with the aim of identifying the
role that technology can potentially play in
the dissemination of population data and in
helping the national statistical offices to
meet the challenges that they face.
Scope
The publication is intended
to expose information on various practical methods
and procedures, where possible based on best
practices in the area of application of IT for
population data dissemination. Since IT is evolving
very fast and countries are at various stages
of statistical development and technology applications,
the recommended approaches presented in the
guidelines cannot be prescriptive. One
major aim will be to enumerate the pros and
cons of various IT applications which are in
current use by some countries and which may
be adopted by others in the future.
Although technology applications is the major
focus, the publication will discuss the topic
of dissemination in some detail, especially
by identifying the characteristics of effective
dissemination practice and the relationship
of dissemination with a range of steps in the
process of data production, as well as methodological,
management, policy and institutional aspects
of dissemination.
Target audience
The primary target audience of the guidelines
will include NSOs, especially those of developing
countries, and their staff; other government,
non-governmental and private organizations;
and research and academic institutes engaged
in data collection. The secondary audience includes
data users in the public and private sectors.
C.
Sources of Population Data
The publication will identify the main sources
of population data and discuss their relationship
to other major sources of social and economic
data. One aim of this exposition will be to
provide a background on how the functions of
population data collection and dissemination
constitute an integrated part of the larger
process of developing a comprehensive statistical
information base for informed decision making,
socio-economic development planning and policy
making.
CHAPTER I
Application of IT to
Dissemination in the ESCAP region
This chapter will provide an overview of
the application of IT to population data dissemination
in the region. At the outset, a summary of dissemination
practices in general will be presented, including
such topics as target audience, products and
services, in-house facilities for the production
of outputs, release dates, customized products,
handling of metadata, etc. A closer look will
be taken at the modes and media of electronic
dissemination, GIS, database development, the
use of the Internet, and dissemination tools
developed.
CHAPTER II
Good Dissemination
For any statistical agency, dissemination
is like a showroom where its products and services
are on display. Dissemination contributes to
the image of the statistical agency as it also
serves as an indicator of how responsive the
agency is as a data producer. This chapter
will focus on various attributes of data dissemination,
such as:
Relevance
Usefulness
Ready accessibility
Timeliness
Accuracy
Authoritativeness
Confidentiality
Comprehensiveness
Objectivity
Clarity
Quality of presentation
Attractiveness
CHAPTER III
The Process of Dissemination
Data dissemination is a dynamic
process, basically driven by the demand
from the data users. The utility of products and
services changes over time, thus requiring frequent
assessments, adjustments, rethinking and streamlining
of activities. The influence of technology
can hardly be ignored, while the interest in the
cost recovery of products in some countries is
another dimension which deserves attention. This
chapter will take an in-depth look into the process
of dissemination. It will begin with a discussion
of various legal, policy, institutional and management
aspects. On policy issues, attention will also
be paid to:
Linkages with development
planning and monitoring
Interaction with
users
Access privileges
of various users
Data confidentiality
Data integration
Metadata availability
Costs and charges
( what is free; to what extent costs are
recovered, if any)
Limitations on published
documents
Timeliness
Quality
Choice of media
Many of the policy dimensions
identified above have operational consequences
which will be discussed in later sections of
the publication.
One section will be devoted to discussion on
planning for data dissemination, including,
among other things, user-producer interaction,
and on evaluating the quality of dissemination
and communication. Different types of data dissemination
products and services for different groups of
users will be discussed in another section,
distinguishing between inside and outside users,
government agencies, the media, the private
sector, libraries and international users. One
of the major sections will be on electronic
products, tools and services, including different
options offered by the Internet. Marketing is
also important and its exposition should include
a discussion on ways of improving the awareness
of the range of products of the NSO and their
utility. Approaches to developing new products
may also be included in this chapter. A section
will be devoted to metadata, describing its
importance, minimum standards, development of
a metadata repository and its management.
CHAPTER IV
Relationship of Dissemination
to Other Steps Involved in Data
Collection and Processing
This chapter will examine the influence other
steps of data collection and processing have
on data dissemination. Similarly, discussion
will also be focused on the influence the concerns
of dissemination have on other steps preceding
and following it. For example, although the
tabulation plan and questionnaire design of
a census or a survey are determined long before
the dissemination step, in principle they are
largely driven by the products to be disseminated.
Again, data utilization is highly influenced
by the manner, media and effectiveness of dissemination.
CHATER V
Electronic Dissemination
This will be the main chapter of the guidelines.
The following is a suggestion for the sections
which may be included;
Statistical Information
Systems
Shifting from print to
electronic products
Networks: LAN/WAN/Intranet/Internet
Database development
and data warehousing
GIS
Potential uses for
dissemination
Thematic mapping
Manpower , hardware,
software and skills requirements
Role of and inputs
from other agencies for mapping
Establishing GIS
Innovative and economical
approaches relevant to the situation of
less advanced NSOs
Use of GIS for analysis:
some examples
Policy issues relating
to the implementation of GIS
Internet services
Internet and statistical
data dissemination: opportunities and challenges
Determining the timing
for introducing Internet-based services
Principles for selecting
the content
Graphics and mapping
on the Internet
Dynamic database
Standards of metadata
on the Internet
Methods of measuring
Internet use and improving its utilization
Other modes of dissemination
through electronic media
Diskettes, CD-ROM,
etc.
Equipment software
and skills requirements
Outsourcing
Data security and confidentiality
Pricing of electronic
products
Policy issues
Issues involved in
the cost recovery of electronic dissemination
Determining the level
and methods of cost recovery.
