National CensusInfo Training, Zomba, Malawi Welcome. Introduction to the product CensusInfo, what it is, where it comes from, what the main features are. National CensusInfo Training, Zomba, Malawi 29 November–03 December 2010 1

What is CensusInfo? CensusInfo is a software tool to disseminate census data on the web and CD-ROM What is CensusInfo: Developed by UN Statistics Division in partnership with UNFPA and UNICEF UNITED NATIONS Statistics Division/DESA

Why CensusInfo? Need Dissemination has been the weakest point of population and housing censuses Importance of disseminating census data NEED There has been a need of helping countries in disseminating their census results. A review of the last census rounds revealed that the dissemination was the weakest points of population and housing censuses. Many countries faced problems disseminating their census results widely and quickly. Reasons for this: - Costs not included in initial budget plans - Main focus on enumeration process (which is a major logistic enterprise) - Dissemination is not priority Importance of disseminating census data Disseminating of Census data is an integral part of the census undertaking. A census is not complete until the information collected is made available for users in a form suited for their needs Census data provide quantitative information essential to governmental policymaking, evidence-based planning and administration Useful for various stakeholders, among them, civil society, researchers, international organizations

Population and Housing Census” Why CensusInfo? Initiative Census Data Dissemination as one of three main goals of the “2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Census” Assist countries in their efforts to disseminate census results in a timely manner INITIATIVE The United Nations Statistical Commission in its 36th Session has recognized that need. And when it approved the “2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Census” it made the Data Dissemination to one of the three main goals, in particular to assist countries in their efforts to disseminate results in a timely manner.

Objectives Why CensusInfo? Develop a software solution to facilitate the dissemination of census results fulfilling following minimum criteria: OBJECTIVES CensusInfo project aimed at implementing the CensusInfo software package to help countries to disseminate their major census results. Criteria: For the NSO easy to implement and for the user easy to use Free to use and thus available to everyone It is recommended that census data should get disseminated for all geographical levels until very small areas. Disseminating census results including maps (instead of only tables) is not only carrying additional information but maps – if well designed – also will interest users for census reports. Software should be flexible enough to accommodate for country specific requirements – if is special topics covered and the language used. Dissemination should be possible on CD-Roms and the web. Advantages are the low costs for distributing and storage of such large amount of data, the possibility to directly process and analyze the data further, the speed with which data are available, the – in particular relating to web dissemination, the wide distribution which can be achieved. Based on the analysis of the needs and products available, it was decided to develop the package based on the latest version of DevInfo database technology, version 6.0. Easy to implement and easy to use Free to use Dissemination of census data at any geographical level Customization for country-specific requirements Dissemination on the web and CD-ROM Software based on the latest DevInfo databasse technology, version 6.0

Main features of CensusInfo CensusInfo is user and administrator friendly software CensusInfo is user and administrator friendly software

CensusInfo is user and administrator friendly software The CensusInfo software comes in two packages (like DevInfo); The Administration Application in which administrative task like creating of the database, defining the data/indicator etc (metadata, mapping, data import, language, design customization, ), are done The User Application in which the user can query the data, produce tables, sophisticated maps and figures and so on. There are quite some features in both the Admin application and the User application which differ from DevInfo. The reason is, that census data differ from data usually for which DevInfo usually stored: Number of data/indicator and subgroups (many data are broken down by detailed age groups) Amount of census data Geographic subdivision: many more levels with up to very high geographic resolution (enumeration area) These special characteristics of census data made special features necessary (for example, selection of data/indicator subgroups or the import of data)

Main features of CensusInfo Disseminates census results at any geographical level CensusInfo is user and administrator friendly software Disseminates census results at any geographical level: The smallest area for which census results can be disseminated are the enumeration areas. CensusInfo allows for in principle unlimited number of geographic sub-divisions.

Disseminates census results at any geographical level Example India: (Asia) India States: 35 Division: 594 Districts: 5474

Disseminates census results at any geographical level Mapping facilities for all levels.

Main features of CensusInfo CensusInfo is user and administrator friendly software Disseminates census results at any geographical level Provides a suggested list of census topics, data and indicators with accompanying metadata (based on UN recommendations) Provides a suggested list of census topics, data and indicators with accompanying metadata (based on UN recommendations):

Provides a suggested list of census topics, data and indicators with accompanying metadata (based on UN recommendations): List of suggested data/indicator organized according to thematic areas and within these areas according to topics. For example: Educational characteristics > topics Educational Attainment, Literacy, School attendance When we chose the topic literacy we see the following possible data/indicators: Adult literacy rate Literacy rate by age group Literate population Literate population by age group Each of these data/indicator is accompinied by metada which always includes at least a definition and if necessary also the method of compuation. Metadata may be rather short like here or more detailed like here for the data/indicator “Employed population by industry” – depending on necessities. The reason for including a list of suggested data/indicator is two fold: For one this helps countries creating their database, they do not have to … But another reason is even more improtant: providing a list of data/indicators helps the harmonization of the indicators and thus serves the comparability of CensusInfo databases over time, i.e. between different censuses of the same countries and between countries. By keeping names of indicators identical we make it easier to find identical type of data in other dataset and facilitates the direct comparison. Assist NSO in creating data/indicator, but also – an maybe – in particular serves to ensure Comparability and Harmonization between countries and between censuses.

Provides a suggested list of census topics, data and indicators with accompanying metadata (based on UN recommendations): All the suggested data/indicator are based on the UN publication “Recommendations and Principles of Population and Housing Censuses”, here in the latest revision of 2008. In here you find a list of recommended topics to be investigated in censuses. Here for example the topics for educational characteristics. The list includes topics which are considered “core” (here marked with solid black diamonds) and topics which are considered “additional” (marked with circles). The list or suggested topics provided with CensusInfo includes only core topics.

Main features of CensusInfo CensusInfo is user and administrator friendly software Disseminates census results at any geographical level Provides a suggested list of census topics, data and indicators with accompanying metadata (based on UN recommendations) Easy to customize to meet country-specific needs Easy to customize to meet country-specific needs Content/structure: data/indicators Although CensusInfo comes with a list of suggested data/indicator, the software allows for accommodate for country specific needs by modifying the suggested data/indicators and creationg new ones. Contries can then finally design their own layout which should represent their database.

Easy to customize to meet country-specific needs Here examples from the Global CensusInfo adapation, CensusInfo India CensusInfo from the Occupied Palestinian Territory

Main features of CensusInfo CensusInfo is user and administrator friendly software Disseminates census results at any geographical level Provides a suggested list of census topics, data and indicators with accompanying metadata (based on UN recommendations) Easy to customize to meet country-specific needs Supports to disseminate census data with multiple languages Supports to disseminate census data with multiple languages In order to reach the important stake holders, in government, …. it is important to publish the data in the local language. CensusInfo, as DevInof, has the possibility to customize the adapation in any language:

Supports to disseminate census data with multiple languages Here the example of Occupied Palestinian Territories – both the database as the interface of the software is available in Arabic.

Main features of CensusInfo CensusInfo is user and administrator friendly software Disseminates census results at any geographical level Provides a suggested list of census topics, data and indicators with accompanying metadata (based on UN recommendations) Easy to customize to meet country-specific needs Supports to disseminate census data with multiple languages Generates user-defined tables, maps, graphs and reports Generates user-defined tables, maps, graphs and reports.

Generates user-defined tables, maps, graphs and reports.

Generates user-defined tables, maps, graphs and reports. Graph: Age Pyramid: A special feature of CensusInfo is the possibility to create population age pyramids, in effect indicator broken down by age get displayed by default as age pyramids which then can get modified as desired.

Generates user-defined tables, maps, graphs and reports: Maps Maps are part of the outcome ….

Main features of CensusInfo CensusInfo is user and administrator friendly software Disseminates census results at any geographical level Provides a suggested list of census topics, data and indicators with accompanying metadata (based on UN recommendations) Easy to customize to meet country-specific needs Supports to disseminate census data with multiple languages Generates user-defined tables, maps, graphs and reports Provides standard profile reports by geographic units Provides standard profile reports by geographic units

Provides standard profile reports by geographic units

Provides standard profile reports by geographic units Simple example for standard profile reports

Main features of CensusInfo CensusInfo is user and administrator friendly software Disseminates census results at any geographical level Provides a suggested list of census topics, data and indicators with accompanying metadata (based on UN recommendations) Easy to customize to meet country-specific needs Supports to disseminate census data with multiple languages Generates user-defined tables, maps, graphs and reports Provides standard profile reports by geographic units Allows importing data from other software applications such as CSPro, Redatam, SAS and SPSS Allows importing data from other software applications such as CSPro, Redatam, SAS and SPSS

Allows importing data from other software applications such as CSPro, Redatam, SAS and SPSS New feature in CensusInfo Admin

Allows importing data from other software applications such as CSPro, Redatam, SAS and SPSS Here the same file as xls file and text file Import data in bulk by adding columns of more indicator or IUS Advanatage CSV, comma separated value, is it can be produced by any data software.

UNSD activities to assist countries adapting CensusInfo Regional workshops National Training on site Basic Training Advanced Training User Application Training UNSD activities to assist countries Regional workshops One week Invite participants of different countries Give an introduction and overview of CensusInfo product (both user application and administration application) – hands-on exercises So far in 2009 for CARICOM, English Speaking African Countries, French Speaking African Countries, in total 55 countries For 2010 and 2011 planned for ESCAP (for Asian and Pacific) and ESCWA (Western Asia) National CensusInfo Training At national statistical office, onsite Extensive Hands-on exercises Objection: Create a database with limited set of indicators – but fully functional Other trainings, like advanced training or user application training according to So far Liberia, Mozambique, Egypt – and still in 2010 Malawi, Kenya, Indonesia

unstats.un.org/unsd/census2010.htm unstats.un.org/unsd/census2010.htm Resource online sites: Homepage of the 2010 World Population and Housing Programme List activities: meetings/evens Infos about CensusInfo with link to download site All kind of census related information: Census Dates Information about current 2010 census round (2005-2014) News Census Knowledgebase: repository of documents on census methodology, reports of countries on their census etc. Guidelines and more on Census Methodology – this is also the place to find the “Principles and Recommendations foro Population and Housing Censuses” as free pdf copy mentioned earlier in this presentation

www.censusinfo.net Resource online sites: CensusInfo homepage News Adaptations worldwide FAQs Software downloads Support site

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