1. Capacity development and data dissemination in the SDG context: a new approach
.Stat Suite built by the SIS-CC
Presented by Martine Durand, OECD Chief Statistician

2. Outline I. Capacity development for better data dissemination
II. Towards a new approach: .Stat Suite

3. I. Capacity development for better data dissemination

4. Challenges in data dissemination
In each silo, projects work well and deliver, but holistically we have a problem
Lack of coordination by development partners
Despite significant support and resources, NSO’s are hindered in developing autonomy supported by national budget.
Poor ‘return on investment’ on technology solutions
Many NSO do not have the human, technical, and financial capacity to maintain and sustain quality data portals that meet basic users’ needs.
Existing approaches fall short
Developing capacities are not meeting the challenges and opportunities posed by the emerging development paradigms and data revolution.

5. Data dissemination challenges in developing countries
A clear shift from print to digital
Data dissemination becoming ‘IT department’ centric
Exerting pressure to acquire new skills and staff within NSOs
Fragmentation of data portals
Data quality
(The screenshots are from NSO websites of Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda - showing links to multiple data portals in respective sites)
There are too many data portals in existence (even in one NSO).
Data portals (in developing countries) are managed typically by IT specialists instead of statisticians, because of the IT complexity involved.
Data portals are not interoperable; require multiple and manual data entry, affecting exhaustiveness and quality of data dispensed.
Source: PARIS21 discussion paper: Making Data Portal work for SDGs: A view on development, design and technology.

6. What have we learnt?
Old approaches to capacity development are not working amid today’s digital disruption
Technological advances have not met the challenges faced by NSOs in effective data dissemination
Proactive and comprehensive responses to country-specific needs

7. Implications for data portals
Reporting challenge for SDGs
Need to adapt the portals for SDGs and 2030 Agenda
Focus on users side
Data portals as link between producers and users
Awareness of statistical workflow
Fragmented system giving way to integrated model
Open source reducing dependence on software vendors
Lowering the cost of ownership

8. II. Towards a new approach: .Stat Suite

9. CD4.0 and .Stat Suite: establishing the linkages
Capacity Development 4.0
.Stat Suite principles
Fostering new skills
Full data lifecycle
support from collection, processing, through to dissemination.
Component-based
following international standards CSPA, SDMX, GSIM, GSBPM.
Focus on quality and impact
Community driven
by the SIS-CC: a strong, well-established community continually investing in open innovation.
Focus on data users and literacy
The aspects of .Stat Suite are aligned with the approaches of CD4.0.
For example, the CD4.0 stresses on the idea of “Fostering new skills” appropriate for current challenges being faced by NSOs. With positioning of “data dissemination” as an integral component of the entire data management process, (and not as a stand-alone activity), “.Stat Suite” design, breaks the silos of information in NSOs. The .Stat Suite facilitates smooth flow of know-how across the NSOs.
Similarly, .Stat Suite’s adherence to international standards, such as SDMX, which enables interoperability between various data systems and in turn enhances quality and impact of data dissemination throughout the value chain – aligning with one more criteria of CD4.0
Also, the aspect of .Stat Suite, being community driven and open source, allows users to take charge of the data-ecosystem. Open Source by its very nature promotes an open way of working that is collaborative and public. It allows for sharing the cost of product development and maintenance, while making it available to the broader set of users for free.
Details:
There are several linkages between the Capacity Development 4.0 approach and the .Stat suite principles.
Soft skills - Full-data life cycle: The .Stat Suite covers a broader part of the data lifecycle (design, collect, process, analyse, disseminate). To implement it, NSOs will also require new skills beyond technical abilities, and focus on other attributes including communication, leadership and management skills.
Component based: .Stat has a modular and open (architecture) approach by design which will enable teams to be mobilised from around the world in a way that is efficient and allows for synergies. Similarly, one of the key aspects of C.D4.0 is its capacity to focus on format, quality assurance and impact. NSOs will require to have proper management and strategic skills to influence the Statistical System beyond their usual turf.
Community driven: With increasing budgetary constraints, and the new global agenda for SDGs calling for affordable models, a community supported open source model, like the one from .Stat suite, seems right one to address the challenges of sustainability. The CD.4.0 makes emphasis on new data producers and data users and incorporates them in the NSO vision.
Open Source: by its very nature promotes an open way of working that is collaborative and public, often with a core of active or lead members ensuring both financial and product sustainability over the long term by sharing the cost of product development and maintenance, while making it available to the broader set of users for free. The C.D4.0 makes emphasis on the financial viability of NSOs when addressing new challenges, such as the SDG agenda. This will require NSOs to develop partnerships with other actors, improving fundraising skills, etc.
Sustained, results-based funding
Open-source
enabling to be used by a wider set of users for free.

10. Pilots in data dissemination
On going deployment
National Institute of statistics (Tunisia)
Need to scale-up
With development partners, more pilots in developing countries are needed to be fielded
Support and develop capacities
Organizations leveraging their collective capacity to enable innovation, while opening up to a wider set of users.

11. Way forward
New environment requires reviving our commitment to bring about real change in statistical capacity and our role in promoting a shifting paradigm, including:
Greater harmonisation of international partners.
Integration of country statistical processes.
Enabling self-reliance in a sustaining regional setting.
Providing cost-effective solutions.

12. Presented by Martine Durand, OECD Chief Statistician
Thank you!
Presented by Martine Durand, OECD Chief Statistician