1. Blaise A short description of the current status Statistics Netherlands February, 2007

2. History –Blaise started mid eighties of last century (1985) after a large project on data checking and editing –Goal: provide software for easier handling of data entry of paper forms –Key words: decentralisation, standardisation and integration

3. History – contd –Designed and implemented by methodology department –Named after Blaise Pascal (1623- 1662) –Blaise can be characterised as an integrated system to collect and process data –Microsoft® Windows® based –Blaise is especially suited for usage by NSIs and research institutes

4. Versions 1986 1989 1994 1998 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 Blaise 1. CADI Blaise 2. CAPI en CATI Blaise III. Object Oriented redesign! Blaise 4 Windows. Conversion from DOS to Windows! Blaise Internet Services 1.0 Blaise Component Pack 1.0 Blaise 4.6 Blaise Component Pack 2.0 Blaise Internet Services 2.0 Blaise 4.7 Enterprise * Blaise 4.8 Enterprise * * Enterprise = Basic system + Internet + Components

5. What is Blaise good at? –Powerful rules that can handle large and complex questionnaires –Generated screen layouts: not needed to define every screen –Easy navigating in a questionnaire –Multi mode (CADI-CAPI-CATI-CASI-CAWI) based on one questionnaire definition –Integration based on open architecture

6. Main parts of Blaise –DEP (Data Entry Program: the interview program) –Manipula / Maniplus (data manipulation and tailored interactive applications) –CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing) management tools –CAWI (WEB interviewing) tools –Bascula (weighting of sample survey data) –COM API (Application Programming Interface) for accessing Blaise internals. Enables integration in other systems

7. Examples of usage at SN –All social survey based data collection (for instance Labour Force Survey) –Telephone unit (40 seats) –Processing of Business Surveys (Impect) –CBS-Iris (International Trade Survey) –e-PS (CASI version of Production Survey) –MesDesk (handles received messages and files with statistical production data) –…

8. International –From early start on Blaise development was discussed during conferences –First user outside SN: ONS (London, 1989) –Since 1992: International Blaise User Group plus every 18 months an IBUC – International Blaise Users Conference –Since 1997: Westat distributor in US and Canada

9. Users in… Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Maldives, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, South Korea, United States Status 1-1-2007

10. Corporate Customers –Corporate = big user –Majority is NSI. Currently: 34 –Organised in the B-Club (Blaise Corporate License User Board) –As a group they influence the development agenda of Blaise at SN

11. Current Development –Version 4.8. Currently in Beta –Emphasis on Client-Server architecture. Results in improved scalability and in Wide Area Network (WAN) support –Extensions to the WEB interviewing part of Blaise –New CASI tool for off-line data collection: BASIL

12. Example –Production Survey 2006 –Blaise questionnaires are generated from a questionnaire database –180 different questionnaires for 70.000 businesses –Respondents download from SN internet site: –Blaise Questionnaire reader CBSQuest (2MB) –Blaise PS questionnaire (80KB) –Used off-line –Entered data returned to SN using encrypted E-mail or HTTPS (secure upload)

19. Next Blaise Conference Annapolis (near Washington DC) September 26-28, 2007 Organised by the Survey Research Centre of the University of Michigan Visit www.isr.umich.edu/ibuc for details!

20. Further Information For an evaluation copy or licensing mail to: blaise@cbs.nl or blaise@westat.com Information can be found at: www.cbs.nl/blaise www.westat.com/blaise www.blaise.com