Me thodology for mo dern bu siness st atistics = Memobust Leon Willenborg (Statistics Netherlands)

Goals Update an existing handbook from 1997 Offer it in a form that is easily accessible and maintainable –In separate modules on a web page –Or as a wiki (?) Try to seek a basis for the (would be) standards or best practices on how to make business statistics –Describe under what conditions a method should be applied –Indicate the parameters involved –Use standard template for modules Use of standard terminology (SDMX, GSBPM) Useful for: –Statisticians –Methodologists –Managers –Business and software architects

Memobust Is an ESSnet project Sponsored by Eurostat Budget: maximum euro –90 % of costs refunded –10% paid by participating NSI’s Two phases –Each of 1.5 years Start (de facto):

Partners NSIs from –Netherlands (co-ordinator) –Sweden –Norway –Poland –Hungary –Italy –Greece –Switzerland

Contract with Eurostat FPA ( = Framework Partnership Agreement ): –Which NSIs will collaborate –Who is project co-ordinator –The aim of the project (in broad terms) SGA ( = Specific Grant Agreement ): –Aim of project –Detailed project plan Deliverables Timeline etc

Work packages (1) Management –With respect to content –With respect to project aspects (e.g. concerning finances & project management) Dissemination –Web site (& wiki) –Targeted visits (ESTP, NSIs, Eurostat) –Talks at conferences / meetings Writing

Work packages (2) Support –Templates For writing modules For (internal) reviews of modules –Setting up and maintaining a glossary –Information exchange / discussions / education / personal contacts Meetings / workshops Writing –Preparation of modules (“handbook chapters”) –(Internal) reviewing of modules Writing

Duration First phase (according to SGA): –December 2010 – May 2012 Second phase: ( tentatively ) –June 2012 – December 2013

Old handbook Edited by Ad Willeboordse Most contributing authors are from Statistics Netherlands –Whose best practices are described? –What is the basis for support? Book in the traditional sense –Closed (new contributions cannot be added) –To a certain degree modular –A lot of ‘context’ and ‘introductions’ provided by the editor Published in 1997 and therefore not up-to-date in all quarters anymore Stove-pipe oriented Not technical

New handbook (1) Describe best / recommended practices that can be used for producing business statistics (under given conditions) Divided into separate modules –Each module treats a well defined topic –Easy to update per module, as the need arises –New modules can be added, as the need arises –Extensible (even beyond business statistics) Use of a (standard) template for all modules –So the modules are described in a uniform way On dedicated web site –Provided/hosted by Eurostat Modules should be nontechnical, providing entries to more specialised and technical documents It’s a portal rather than a traditional handbook

New handbook (2) Form: –Modules in PDF format (for display) –Original documents written in Word (for maintenance) –Or: as a wiki (if feasible) Consistent with SDMX vocabulary & GSBPM –SDMX = Statistical Data and Metadata eXchange –GSBPM = Generic Statistical Business Process Model Extensible with software tools [outside Memobust] –To include example software (e.g. R packages) for educational purposes or perhaps even to be used in production Versioning of modules is an option –old versions are kept and will remain accessible

Strategy (1) Review the old handbook –Identify topics / chapters that need updating –Identify topics that are missing Procedure –Working group to set up a proposal for modules in the new handbook –Discuss this proposal in project team and with Eurostat –Reach agreement and get approval

Strategy (2) Write modules –Use template for modules –Without development efforts in case of existing documents (as in case of method series) –With development efforts (in case of new subjects) –Use old handbook, if useful Find others to write modules –If specialism is not in current project team –Use e.g. expertise in special ESSnet projects

Current situation Kick-off meeting was at Statistics Netherlands (The Hague) in February 2011 Other meetings have been held in Stockholm (June 2011) and Poznan (October 2011) Old handbook has been reviewed Work plan almost complete: –list of modules for the new handbook –who will write/review what (and when) A few modules have already been written