Methodology and the Government Statistical Service Cynthia Clark, ONS

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Methodology and the Government Statistical
Service Cynthia Clark, ONS
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Presentation Objectives

• Describe ONS Methodology Directorates Goals
• Discuss Directorates relationship to GSS
• State areas of MD expertise
• Present ways we can share expertise
• Suggest ways we can exchange information
• Identify ONS collaborative activities that
  benefit GSS

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Methodology Directorate Strategic Plan

• Vision
• Mission
• Strategic Goals
• Operational Objectives
• Performance Measures

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Methodology Directorate Vision

• National Statistics are built on a solid
  foundation of reliable, innovative methodologies
  that command respect worldwide

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Methodology Directorate Mission

• To reinforce the quality of National Statistics
  by leading in the development of statistical
  methods and expert advice

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Methodology Directorate Strategic Goals

• Forging partnerships
• Building trust
• Seeking out best practice
• Assuring quality
• Leading change
• Innovating and learning
• Investing in expertise

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Methodology Directorate Strategic Goals

• Forging partnerships working in partnership
  with customers, understanding their business
  needs, and providing quality services to meet
  them
• Building trust enhancing peoples understanding
  of ONS and its methodological work through
  collaboration and communication

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Methodology Directorate Strategic Goals

• Seeking out best methods defining
  methodological best practice for ONS and its GSS
  partners, and leading its implementation through
  advice, tools, and training
• Assuring quality making objective evaluations
  of our survey and statistical methods and
  solutions, and striving for continuous
  improvement

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Methodology Directorate Strategic Goals

• Leading change providing strategic direction,
  proposing methodology for changing business
  practices, and defining the system and
  organisational support required for implementation

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Methodology Directorate Strategic Goals

• Innovating and learning breaking new ground in
  methodological research, developing solutions,
  and meeting the current and future needs of ONS
• Investing in expertise fostering a creative
  work environment where staff can flourish and
  develop the skills to deliver our goals

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Methodology Directorate Strategic Goals

• Forging partnerships
• Building trust
• Seeking out best practice
• Assuring quality
• Leading change
• Innovating and learning
• Investing in expertise

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Building Trust Tactical Goals

• Communicate and educate within and outside the
  Methodology Directorate
• Collaborate with business customers and external
  colleagues in methodological work
• Produce and present high quality methodological
  reports

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Building Trust Performance Measures

• Produce Quarterly Methodology Newsletter for the
  directorate and its ONS, GSS, and international
  customers
• Methodology reports are peer-reviewed and quality
  assured

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Directorates Relationship to Government
Statistical Service

• MD Strategic Plan is inclusive of the GSS
• MD has already established ways to work with GSS
• - National Statistics Quality and Methodology
  Programme Board
• - National Statistics Methodology Advisory
  Committee
• - Research that is inclusive such as that on
  Trust

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Areas of MD Expertise

• Questionnaire Design Data Collection
• Sample Design Estimation
• Editing Imputation
• Time Series Analysis
• Analysis Methods
• Demography Population Analysis

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Areas of MD Expertise

• Spatial Analysis
• Index Numbers
• Statistical Disclosure Control
• Small Area Estimation
• Quality
• Statistical Training

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Ways we can share expertise

• MD offers technical services to GSS partners
• - Consultation training
• - Questionnaire Design
• - Quality assessments
• - Statistical Training
• Are there other technical areas in which MD might
  offer technical services to its GSS partners?

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Opportunities to exchange information

• Annual Government Statistical Service Methodology
  Conference
• Quarterly Methodology Directorate Newsletter
• - beginning in September 2005
• Semi-annual seminars for Methodology, HoPs and
  others

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Collaborative Methodology Activities

• Work with academic researchers
• Eurostat work in European Union
• Examples from the United States include
• - Federal Committee on Statistical Methodology
• - Committee on National Statistics
• - Joint research projects

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• I would like to hear your suggestions
• Cynthia Clark, Director of Methodology
• cynthia.clark_at_ons.gov.uk
• 020 7533 6151