Statistics New Zealand Brian Pink – Government Statistician

1. Using Both Internet and Field Collection Methods for the 2006 Census of Population and Dwellings – The New Zealand Experience So Far Statistics New Zealand Brian Pink – Government Statistician

2. Key Challenges and Lessons • Managing the impact on existing processes • Technological

3. Managing the impact on existing processes • Results from Dress Rehearsal • Communication on doorstep most crucial aspect to promotion • Interest at doorstep not equal to actual uptake • Uptake from low internet usage sample - 5.6% • Uptake patterns consistent with previous tests

4. Managing the impact on existing processes • Uptake – census focussed on a single day – results from dress rehearsal • Respondent behaviour in-line with previous tests

5. Concurrent Sessions 200 180 Number of Logins 160 Number of Forms Submitted 140 120 Number 100 80 60 40 20 0 14:00:01 - 14:30:00 06:00:01 - 06:30:00 07:00:01 - 07:30:00 08:00:01 - 08:30:00 09:00:01 - 09:30:00 10:00:01 - 10:30:00 11:00:01 - 11:30:00 12:00:01 - 12:30:00 13:00:01 - 13:30:00 15:00:01 - 15:30:00 16:00:01 - 16:30:00 05:00:01 - 05:30:00 17:00:01 - 17:30:00 18:00:01 - 18:30:00 22:00:01 - 22:30:00 23:00:01 - 23:30:00 00:00:01 - 00:30:00 01:00:01 - 01:30:00 02:00:01 - 02:30:00 03:00:01 - 03:30:00 04:00:01 - 04:30:00 19:00:01 - 19:30:00 20:00:01 - 20:30:00 21:00:01 - 21:30:00 Time Scale Managing the impact on existing processes • Usage by hour of the day – results from dress rehearsal • Again respondent behaviour in-line with previous tests

6. Managing the impact on existing processes • Response Patterns from Dress Rehearsal • 93.6% used the online option to submit all of the forms for their household • 78% of households completed their Dwelling Form first • 87% completed their on-line forms in a single login session

7. Technical • Logon and authentication process manages need for both security and ease of use • Uses Household ID from paper form (11 chars) as username, • And unique PIN in secure envelope (12 chars) as password • Learning from Dress Rehearsal • Last 4 characters of Household ID handwritten • Potential for misread by respondent • Solutions: • Process to check valid HHIDs • Process to check valid PINs • Process to check linked HHID and PINs • Application developed for helpline

8. Technical • Need for modern communications technology in field : • Use of SMS texting to update enumerators with forms received via Internet and mailback • Batches sent 3 times a day (3:00am, 1:00pm and 5:30pm) • The Field Communication Service includes texting Helpline action requests and notifications of actions taken by the Helpline • Providing reports to district supervisors and area managers as well as census management.

9. Achievements • Don Dillman review of prototype “I have not seen any electronic Census form that is as well done or respondent-friendly as this one is, visually.” • New Zealnad eGov-Watch review of Dress Rehearsal system Rated 4th out of 58 sites reviewed against the independent eGov-Watch standard

10. Questions?