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Current Practices in Data Dissemination via the Internet

Learn about current practices & user needs in disseminating data online, compare advantages & disadvantages of different methods, survey of statistical websites & formats. Discover what users want and good practices to follow for effective data dissemination.

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Current Practices in Data Dissemination via the Internet

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  1. Current Practices in Data Dissemination via the Internet UNECE Workshop on Developing Data Dissemination Systems – Geneva, 12 May 2008

  2. Contents • How are data currently disseminated? • Advantages and disadvantages of different approaches • What do users want? • Good practices

  3. Survey of current practices • Web sites of statistical agencies for all 56 UNECE member countries checked during spring 2008. • Data dissemination systems and formats recorded. • Not possible to check all national language versions of websites.

  4. Results

  5. Static html / pdf / word pages

  6. Static html / pdf / word pages • Advantages • Quick, easy and cheap to prepare • Data at a glance • Possible to combine tables, graphics and text • Html and pdf viewers are free • Disadvantages • Only a picture - users can not easily download or manipulate data • Manual updates

  7. Excel spreadsheets

  8. Excel spreadsheets • Advantages • Users can download and customize data • Most common format for basic data analysis • Disadvantages • Excel software is not cheap! • Manual updates • User has to download the whole file

  9. National database software

  10. National database software • Advantages • Tailored to national requirements • Disadvantages • Expensive to develop and maintain • Duplication of effort in other statistical agencies

  11. PC-Axis

  12. PC-Axis • Advantages • Most popular data dissemination software • Flexible, user-driven data extractions • Strong user community • Many optional add-ons are free • Disadvantages • Small annual license fee for core software • Need to translate user interfaces to own language

  13. Other options • Statbank / PC-Axis – developed and used by some Nordic statistical agencies • SuperWEB – commercial software from Space-Time Research (Australia) • DevInfo – developed by UNICEF for monitoring millennium development goals • OECDStat – open source tools used by several international statistical agencies

  14. What do users want? • Depends on the type of user • Quick access to key figures • Options to select and manipulate data • Easy export to own analysis packages • Graphic visualizations (maps, charts, ..) • Appropriate metadata • Multiple languages

  15. Good practices • Static tables can be useful for key figures • For detailed or large datasets, allow users to create and manipulate their own tables • Store data as multi-dimensional cubes • Offer graphic visualizations • Allow users to download data in a range of formats (including SDMX)

  16. Good practices (2) • Link data and metadata • Share development in an open-source environment or network, with an electronic forum for discussions and questions • Don’t try to re-invent the wheel!

  17. Thank you for listeningQuestions?

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