15.1 Introduction

Information Technology (IT) continues to play an essential role in all aspects of statistical processing throughout the entire production life cycle from data collection through to dissemination. This is a fast-moving and rapidly changing environment with new innovations being developed at a breath-taking rate. Since the publication of the last handbook in 2003, the IT landscape has changed almost beyond recognition - at that time many national statistical office s (NSOs) were just emerging from the mainframe era and have since evolved through the phases of personal computers, distributed databases, the explosion of the internet, smartphones and tablets, cloud technology and new data sources. An NSO can expect a continued and accelerating rate of change in the years to come with further advances in Artificial Intelligence, machine learning, increased computing power, smart data and the “Internet of Things”. These developments, combined with changing work practices, increased user expectations, competition from other data providers and a constant drive for modernisation and increased efficiency provide an ongoing challenge for an NSO. Harnessing the power of IT by innovating in new products and processes can help NSOs meet the challenges of the rapidly changing environment.

The ability to harness IT, of course, depends on capacity level – different approaches are required for different countries. This chapter will describe changes in the IT landscape since the last handbook, review emerging and existing standards, and look at the technology infrastructure required by a modern NSO.