11.6 Dissemination strategy

11.6 Dissemination strategy#

A dissemination strategy should include agreed principles and guidelines for disseminating and communicating statistics and procedures for handling errors and revisions. It can also promote the development of a common platform of official statistics that includes data from all producers of official statistics. This can help an NSO to harmonize statistical releases, tables, graphs and analysis, and terminology applied across statistical domains. It can help avoid confusion and misinterpretation and can facilitate the comparison of statistics.

A dissemination strategy should take into account the following principles taken from EU statistics code of practice (🔗):

  • Principle 6 - Impartiality and Objectivity

    • Statistical authorities develop, produce and disseminate statistics respecting scientific independence in an objective, professional and transparent manner in which all users are treated equitably.

    • Statistics are compiled on an objective basis determined by statistical considerations.

    • Choices of data sources and statistical methods, as well as decisions about the dissemination of statistics, are based on statistical considerations.

    • Errors discovered in published statistics are corrected at the earliest possible date and publicised.

    • Information on data sources, methods and procedures used is publicly available.

    • Statistical release dates and times are pre-announced.

    • Advance notice is given on major revisions or changes in methodologies.

    • Statistical authorities independently decide on the time and content of statistical releases, while considering the goal of providing complete and timely statistical information. All users have equal access to statistical releases at the same time. Any privileged pre-release access to any outside user is limited, well-justified, controlled and publicised. In case of breach, pre-release arrangements are reviewed to ensure impartiality.

    • Statistical releases and statements made in press conferences are objective and non-partisan.

  • Principle 15 - Accessibility and Clarity

    • Statistics are presented in a clear and understandable form, released in a suitable and convenient manner, available and accessible on an impartial basis with supporting metadata and guidance.

    • Statistics and the corresponding metadata are presented, and archived, in a form that facilitates proper interpretation and meaningful comparisons.

    • Dissemination services use modern information and communication technology, methods, platforms and open data standards.

    • Custom-designed analyses are provided when feasible, and the public is informed.

    • Access to microdata is allowed for research purposes and is subject to specific rules or protocols.

    • Metadata related to outputs are managed and disseminated by the statistical authority according to the European standards.

    • Users are kept informed about the methodology of statistical processes, including the use and integration of administrative and other data.

    • Users are kept informed about the quality of statistical outputs with respect to the quality criteria for statistics.

A dissemination and communication strategy will need to be in line with other policies, particularly confidentiality requirements. According to the Generic Law of Official Statistics (GLOS 2016), the strategy may include the following elements:

  • the general dissemination principles and guidelines, in line with the statistical law;

  • the use of different dissemination platforms and the pricing policy;

  • procedures for handling errors;

  • procedures for handling revisions;

  • ways to facilitate users’ access to all official statistics from different producers;

  • the main contents and practices for releasing metadata;

  • best practices for producing tables, graphs and written explanations;

  • practices for archiving statistical releases for future use.

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Links to guidelines, best practices and examples:

  • India Ministry of Statistics data dissemination policy (🔗);

  • National Statistics Institute (INE-Chile) data dissemination policy (🔗);

  • Open data standards directory (🔗);

  • Open Data Watch “Measuring Data Use” (🔗);

  • PARIS21 NSDS guidelines on data dissemination (🔗);

  • Statistics Botswana data dissemination policy (🔗);

  • Statistics Estonia data dissemination policy (🔗);

  • Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) data dissemination policy (🔗);

  • UNSD Principles for the dissemination policy of official statistics (🔗).