The Story of DGINS 2024
Increasingly, requests for new services are directed at the statistical offices and they are assigned or acquiring new tasks going beyond the traditional function of developing, producing, and disseminating official statistics. In this context, it is essential for the Directors General of NSIs in the ESS to look at what happens at the margins of traditional statistical production. Specifically, at the functions, roles and/or tasks the NSIs are already or will be performing soon, and where there are new users and/or demand for emerging data services.
As the development of statistical institutions and statistics production are increasingly dependent on the perception of our stakeholders and/or users, the user-centric approach should be considered as the starting point for the DGINS discussions. This means that our attention should be focused on our stakeholder portfolio, their demands and expectations.
NEW DATA SERVICES
NSIs have a long and successful record of relevant operations, which materialise in data products and services[1]. In the context of official statistics, the scope of possible extended data services that NSIs have been offering comprises dashboards and interactive data portals, data catalogues and registries, data audits, development of interoperability standards, statistical advisory services, training and capacity building, data quality and metadata services, leading collaborative research projects, data standardisation and harmonisation services, data privacy services, citizen engagement initiatives, cross-border data exchanges, data ethics guidelines, designing algorithms and applications, etc.
At the same time, the advancing stakeholder needs are further supported by changes in the legal framework which raises discussions in data ecosystems on issues such as data sharing, data stewardship, management of data spaces, coordination of multiple data sources, provision of data-based public services, etc. These domains are just gaining momentum in our digital societies, where the value of data is to be maximised to its full potential. In this context, there might be emerging possibilities for national statistical institutes to utilise the highest level of expertise and experience from official statistics and possibly create additional value for or from the data ecosystem by assuming new tasks and providing new services.
The strategic evolution of NSIs’ existing operations into new data services signifies a forward-thinking approach that embraces innovation, responsiveness, commitment to excellence, and, last but not least, retaining as well as strengthening the relevance of NSIs. Whereas the evolving needs of stakeholders drive the changes to a certain degree, the strategic response to these expectations is what helps to chart the new frontiers of official statistics.
Furthermore, when mapping the data services provided by NSIs, Europe-wide coordination should add value in the provision of high-quality official statistics and data services to European citizens. This can also create specific input for the ESS vision for 2030, inform the ESS innovation agenda, and facilitate bi- or multilateral relations between the NSIs and the sharing of relevant experience.
DGINS OBJECTIVES
The DGINS 2024 conference will provide a forum for strategic discussions on two main related topics:
- Stakeholder engagement – what is driving the changes regarding the NSIs’ service portfolio, their role and activities in and for the data ecosystems within which they operate?
- Data services complementary to the production of official statistics – more specifically, which data services complementary to the production of official statistics are currently performed or can be performed by NSIs in the future?
These two topics will shed light on where the NSIs and the production of official statistics are heading and thus identify the possible new frontiers of official statistics for the NSIs and for the ESS as a whole.
DGINS 2024 will provide a valuable platform for “blue sky” type of discussions about new opportunities, and for sharing practical experience, challenges, and lessons learned in adapting to the evolving roles of NSIs and of the ESS. The discussions will encompass strategies for fostering an outward-looking culture in statistical organisations, for promoting effective collaboration, and for enhancing partnerships with stakeholders. Moreover, it will be an opportunity to explore strategies to accelerate the transformation of NSIs so that they could better adapt to the changes in the operational environment and identify the communication and user engagement actions associated with this process.
DGINS OVERALL STRUCTURE
The conference will be organised as a one-and-a-half-day meeting. The first day’s sessions are under the title “The Drivers for Change”. The aim of the session is to deepen the understanding of the current and emerging demands for data services and the new roles of NSIs that are auxiliary to the traditional role of producing and disseminating official statistics. The purpose is also to share experience on the mechanisms of interactions between NSIs and various stakeholders and potential users of new data services. By exploring the dynamics of various stakeholders – including, among others, public organisations, private data holders, citizens, businesses, policy makers – and their expectations, this session aims to provide insights into how NSIs and the ESS as public sector data management champions can strategically engage with the stakeholders to remain responsive and relevant in a rapidly changing data landscape.
The second session focuses on specific examples of data services that complement the production of official statistics and respond to emerging user expectations. A key element in these discussions is how to strategically manage the balance between enhancing an NSI’s portfolio of auxiliary services and the core mission of providing official statistics.
The second day is titled “The Enablers for Change”. The day will start with setting the scene and will end with a summary of the most important takeaways from the discussions. The third session envisaged for this day aims to deepen the understanding of the factors and “enablers of change” that would result in new roles and new data services within the NSIs and the ESS. The session will cover organisational aspects, underline the importance of communication and engagement both outside and inside the statistical organisations, clarify the role of technology and innovation, and address the legal and ethical issues to be considered.
See the detailed programme here.
EXPECTED OUTCOME
The outcome of the discussions during the 2024 DGINS conference will be summarised in the document “Tallinn Key Takeaways on the New Frontiers of Official Statistics” that could drive further developments and serve as a reference point for communication and other coordinated ESS activities in the future.
[1]Here, a data product refers to a tangible output, e.g., a set of data in a table or infographic, a publication, press release, blog post, etc. A data service may or may not result in a tangible product or products but rather indicates that the added value will come from the process(es) provided to a user/client.
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