Quality Improvement in the ONS

Cynthia Z F ClarkFrank Nolan Office for National StatisticsUnited Kingdom

CONTENTS

What I plan to cover …..

• Introduction• Quality Strategy• ONS Framework• External Influences• Conclusion

1. Introduction

• ONS – NSI in UK• UK statistical system decentralised• Government Statistical Service• National Statistician • Chief statistical adviser

– professional head of GSS

2. Quality Strategy

• Drivers• Framework Document 2001• Improving trust in statistics• National Statistician responsible for professional

quality of outputs• Code of Practice established

Quality Strategy

Quality

1. Setting Standards

2. SoundMethodologies

3. Standardised

Tools

4. Effective Leadership and

management

5. Good Documentation

6. QualityMeasures

7. Monitoring andImproving Quality

Quality Strategy

Quality

Standards

and Guidance

Risk Management

Project

Management

Code of

Practice

Protocols

Statistical

Infrastructure

Development

Quality

Assurance

Survey

Control

Technology

Management

Quality

Measurement

& Reporting

7. Ongoing quality monitoring

1.Setting Standards

2. Sound methodologies

3. Standardised

tools

6. Quality Measures

5. Good Documentation

4. Effective Leadership and

Management

Public

Confidence

Quality

Reviews

Self

Assessment

Tool

Metadata

Methodological

Unit

1. SettingStandards

2. SoundMethodologies

7. Ongoing QualityMonitoring

3. Standardised

Tools

4. EffectiveLeadership and

Management

5. GoodDocumentation

6. QualityMeasures

Leadership

& Training

3. ONS Progress against Framework

• 2002 - 2007

Setting Standards

• National Statistics Code of Practice– sets out professional standards 2002– 8 Principles: Relevance, Integrity, Quality, Accessibility

• Protocols– underpin the Code of Practice and provide the detail– 12 Protocols

• Customers– Survey Charter – Service Level Agreement (key accounts)– Vision / Mission / Objectives / Values

• Self Assessment Tool– a tool to ensure adherence to the Code of Practice – Not Complete

Sound Methodologies

• Centralised Methodology unit– 100 staff in 2007

• Role in providing independent advice to the National Statistician

• Quality Assurance role of new and changed methods

– Methods still implemented by business areas– Periodic survey redesign

• Strong Survey Control function – ONLY Business surveys

Standardised Tools

• Range of statistical tools agreed 2003– ACTR, BANF, CANCEIS, X12 ARIMA– Process reengineering / standardised systems– Implementation started – slow progress

• Technology Development– Improved computing– Reduction in different systems– Reduced risk– Implementation slow

• ONS Functional Structure

Q2004

ONS Structure

Respondents

Sources Analysis

Publication

IT Methodology Corporate

Users

Data / Information

Requirements

Effective Leadership and Management

• Technical Training – MSc Official Statistics

• Project / Programme Management– Good training [PRINCE 2]– Professional project managers

• Risk Management– Strong Government Initiative [BSE]– Formal governance role– Closure too long

• Management Training– One off Henley work– Ongoing – new managers

Documentation

• Standards and Guidance– Centralised Database– Mostly populated– Currency

• Metadata– Part of Modernisation– Delayed

Quality Measurement

• Quality Measures– Developed and documented– Published– Implementation with Modernisation

• Quality Reports– Basic Quality Information– Standard Quality Reports– Developed and implementing

• National Accounts / other business surveys

Ongoing Quality Monitoring

• National Statistics Quality Reviews– Rolling programme of reviews of outputs

• Confidence Measures– Customer satisfactions surveys (web)– Evaluates relevance and methodology– Public confidence (Omnibus)– Staff perception survey

• Audits– Internal Audits – process– External reviews

4. External Influences

• European Statistical System– Code of Practice

• UK Statistical Law

• UK Government Efficiency Targets– Reduction of 5% in real terms

• UK Government Relocation targets– Move out of London (c 1000 staff)

EU Peer Reviews – 2006/07

• Compliance against Code of Practice• Set of Indicators for each Principle• Self Assessment• Peer Review of NSI• Site visit / Documentation• Standard Report• Best Practice / Coordination role• Improvement Actions

European Code of Practice

• Governance• 1. Professional Independence• 2. Mandate for Data Collection• 3. Adequacy of Resources• 4. Quality Commitment• 5. Statistical Confidentiality• 6. Impartiality and Objectivity• Processes• 7. Sound Methodology• 8. Appropriate Statistical Procedures• 9. Non- Excessive burden on respondents• 10. Cost Effectiveness• Outputs• 11. Relevance• 12 Accuracy and reliability• 13 Timeliness and Punctuality• 14 Coherence and Comparability• 15 Accessibility and Clarity

UK Statistical Law

• UK Statistical and Registration Service Bill• Statistical Board• Objective:

– to promote and safeguard the quality and comprehensiveness of official statistics

• Assessment process against Code of Practice

5. Conclusion

• Generally Good progress• Code / documentation/ … in place• Reliance on modernised systems - slow

• Generally slow• Need to maintain momentum• Quality in relation to leadership• Champions

Thank You