1. Modalities for exchanging census IT expertise in the region Ilpo Survo, United Nations ESCAP, Bangkok, survo.unescap@un.org survo.unescap@un.org for UNECE Training Workshop on Census Technology for SPECA member countries, Astana, 7-8 June 2007

2. Accessing information about technologies – Desk search and e-mail Search engines, search techniques Vendors' support sites User communities Local IT specialists – public and private sectors Censuses conducted elsewhere Leading national web implementations Advanced statistical offices abroad International organizations

3. Sources of expertise Own organization –Technology is evolving rapidly -> past censuses or ex- colleagues may not be the best source –Past project management and application evaluation expertise useful Own country –Character recognition and space-based technologies are universal –So are web-based technologies –Innovative solutions can come from other sectors Bilateral exchange with another country/office Regional and global forums, meetings

4. Conventional technology E-mail for one-to-one communication Discussion groups: Usenet groups Mailing lists (listservs) Web sites dedicated to IT Link collections on favourite third-party resources

5. Collaborative content creation - New opportunities for the 2010 round of censuses Wikis Blogging Online partially self-managed browser- based rosters

6. Wikis Born in mid-1990's The largest is Wikipedia online encyclopaedia, since 2001 Using simple mark-up language editors anyone can initiate articles Additional information, cross-references and citations are added by others, making the content dynamic, if not volatile Cumulative, escalating content creation Reliability of information sometimes questioned

7. Blogs A blog is a chronological diary, containing text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic Provides little structure of classification Potentially useful but not tested in census planning and taking Weblog/blogging software –User hosted –Developer-hosted Corporate blogs –CEO –Internal –External

8. Other Sharing of bookmarks, rating of content Tele and videoconferencing - Voice, video over IP Online and downloadable multimedia introductions to technology, training courses

9. Expert rosters (1/3) – Technology and challenges Maintain as an online database Experts update their own information Challenges –Management of the roster –How to attract interest of experts –Quality control: who can be recommended –Keeping information up-to-date –Sustainability

10. Expert rosters (2/3) – Management Many initiatives but few sustainable Requires resources to set up and maintain How to review submissions? Language Facilitator's role critical

11. Expert rosters (3/3) - Quality control Screening questions References Testimonials Evaluation of undertaken assignments

12. ESCAP project 1997-2001: Application of New Technology in Population Data Collection, Processing, Dissemination and Presentation Standing working party of experts assessed new technologies Continuity was provided in a multi-year project setting (UNFPA funding) Results were channelled into –Guidelines on technologies and good practices –Training and exposure workshops The WP had active members from developed and developing countries Recommendations were credible and pilot-tested

13. ESCAP regional census programme for 2010 round A survey on census technologies (June-July 2007) will include questions on available expertise Expert Group Meeting on effective use of IT for population and housing censuses (3-5 October) UNSD/ESCAP regional workshops for Asia (use of maps/GIS) and for the Pacific (on IT more broadly) If additional resources can be obtained: –Promoting Global Census Principles and Recommendations: Regional workshop, guidelines –Establish and manage a resource pool (database) –Advisory missions –Exchange of expertise –Web-based knowledge sharing forum

14. Recall ongoing and planned activities of UN ECE: Eurostat: Others:

15. Exchange of IT expertise for SPECA countries - Discussion Options: 1.Bilateral exchange of expertise 2.Establish a SPECA regional resource pool? 3.Establish a Russian language roster? 4.Request specific assistance from the above agencies 5... 6...