Short Term Economic Statistics Timeliness Framework

1. Short Term Economic Statistics Timeliness Framework Richard McKenzie OECD

2. The STES Timeliness Framework • Review of the framework, its original development, usage and promotion • Recent statistics on usage • Plans for 2006 update – and comparison with 2005 update • Discussion by STESWP on the need for future updates to the framework

3. STES Timeliness Framework - Background • Developed by the STESEG taskforce on timeliness and benchmarking • Aims to assist countries to improve the timeliness of the STES they produce (reduce costs & improve accuracy as well) • A collection of good practices which cover all aspects of the statistical production process • First version went live on the OECD website in September 2004, first update in September 2005 • STESWP has the role to improve, maintain, use and promote the framework

4. Development of the STES Timeliness Framework • Timeliness is a function of the statistical production process • However best practice in one country may not be applicable to another • e.g. different user requirements, legislation, economic structures, institutional structures etc. • Desire to develop a framework which presents a range of good practices for improving timeliness across different aspects of the statistical production process

5. Developing the STES Timeliness Framework • Multi-dimensional web based product • Each dimension providing more detail on specific methods to improve timeliness • Emphasis on how processes link together, for developing overall strategies • Only references methods with proven operational success • Contains a breath of material sourced from many countries to ensure wide applicability

6. Developing the STES Timeliness Framework • Taskforce assessed documentation collected from national statistics offices and by reviewing relevant statistical conference proceedings: • Over 1200 papers from 9 journals and 22 statistical conferences were reviewed: 50 of these papers were included in the framework • 162 papers were submitted from 23 NSOs of which 59 were included in the framework • Current framework includes documents from 22 statistics organisations (national & international)

7. Structure of the STES Timeliness Framework

8. Structure of the STES Timeliness Framework

9. The web-based version www.oecd.org/std/research/timeliness

10. Promoting the STES Timeliness Framework • Maximise visibility on the OECD website • STESEG members promotion in their own organisations • Distribution by other international organisations to their relevant working groups • Articles in OECD and UNSD Statistics Newsletters • OECD Statistics Working paper & keynote address at the April 2006 Quality in Official Statistics Conference in Cardiff

11. Use of the STES Timeliness Framework

12. 2006 update of the framework • Request sent to most NSOs that participated in 2005 STESEG to provide any new documentation • 8 NSOs responded, with 4 providing a total of 20 new papers for assessment (of which 12 come from the BLS) • In 2005, 20 NSOs responded, with 11 providing a total of 33 new papers for assessment • Need to identify relevant conferences from the past year to review proceedings • Q2006 is the only one thought of so far • For the 2005 update, 6 conferences were reviewed of which papers from 5 of these were taken

13. Future updates of the framework / discussion points • Does the lower response from NSOs suggest less work is being done to improve timeliness of STES? • Relevant conference proceedings to review for the 2006 update – suggestions please! • Framework structure and content continues to be relevant and OECD will continue to promote it • Especially for developing countries which are most of the subscribers • Also very useful as a statistical training tool • However does apparent diminishing usage justify spending STESWP resources on future updates?