The%20General%20Data%20Dissemination%20System%20(GDDS)%20as%20a%20Framework%20for%20Improving%20Data%20Quality%20and%20Dissemination

1
The General Data Dissemination System (GDDS) as a
Framework for Improving Data Quality and
Dissemination
IMFs Statistics Department Ms. Wipada
Soonthornsima Beijing, China May 2004
2
The plan of presentation

• Origin of Data Standards
• An Overview of the GDDS 
• GDDS a framework for development of the
  statistical system
• What are the essences of GDDS?
• What roles can GDDS play?
• Key Features 
• The SDDS and GDDS
• Related initiatives

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Origin Where Did It Come From?

• Stimulus  1994-95 international financial
  crisis The crisis led to increased recognition
  that timely, reliable, comprehensive, and
  accessible data...
• Facilitate formulation and implementation of
  sound macroeconomic policies and investment
  decisions and, as a result.
• Reduce turbulence in financial markets.

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Origin Where Did It Come From?

• More broadly, globalization brought challenges
  for data producers and users
• Statistical interdependence-- countries have an
  interest in one anothers statistical systems
• Data users needs change more frequently and less
  predictably

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Origin Where Did It Come From?

• Response IMFs Data Standards Initiative Two
  tiers
• The Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS)
  launched in 1996 to guide IMF members that have,
  or might seek, access to international capital
  markets in the provision of their economic and
  financial data to the public.
• The General Data Dissemination System (GDDS)
  launched in 1997 as a development tool to enhance
  the availability of timely and comprehensive
  economic, financial and socio-demographic data in
  all IMF member countries.

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Overview What is the GDDS?

• Provides a framework for participating countries
  to improve their statistical systemsquality and
  data dissemination practices
•  Fosters
• The application of sound methodology and good
  compilation
• The adoption of good dissemination practices
• The observance of procedures ensuring
  professionalism

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GDDS Framework

• GDDS provides for development of the statistical
  system in a structured way. The system...
• Sets out objectives to promote orderly
  development of the statistical system
• Provides tools to diagnose areas of the
  statistical system that require priority
  attention
• Establishes processes to aid in the formulation
  and implementation of development plans,
  permitting dynamic adaptation to changing
  circumstances

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The essences of the GDDS

• Improving statistical quality
• Inter-agency coordination
• Participants ownership
• Recognizes that countries differ in their stages
  of statistical development and capacity to
  improve statistical system.
• Calls for national authorities to set their own
  priorities and timing to achieve the objectives
  over time.
• Attention to data users
• Improvement of data dissemination
• Transparency

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What roles can the GDDS play?

• Facilitate the development of national
  statistical systems by helping to...
• Provide focus on objectives across agencies
• Assess data quality and dissemination practices
  as a basis for...
• Plans for improvement systematicallypriority and
  timeframe
• Make explicit prerequisites to improve the
  statistical system
• Facilitate the evaluation of progress under plans
  for improvement

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What roles can GDDS play?

• Provide a framework for harnessing resources
• Seek explicitly external assistance for both TA
  and related resources
• Provide a framework for channeling TA resources
  in an optimal fashion especially as complementary
  to national initiatives
• Promote closer contact among officials in
  participating countrieswithin and across
  countries

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What roles can GDDS play?

• Promote transparency GDDS metadata on the IMF
  Dissemination Standards Bulletin Board (DSBB) at
  www.dsbb.imf.org describe statistical practices
  and development plans
• Provides valuable information to data users
• Helps channel TA resources
• GDDS now gives explicit recognition to Millennium
  Development Goals (MDG) Indicators
  (http//dsbb.imf.org/vgn/images/pdfs/gdds_oct_2003
  .pdf)

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Key Features

• The GDDS sets out objectives for data production
  and dissemination grouped into 4 dimensions
• Data coverage, periodicity, and timeliness
• Quality
• Integrity
• Access by the public

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Data Dimension

• The data dimension is defined in terms of three
  elements
• Coverage data to be produced and disseminated,
  grouped into
• Economic and financial data Real, Fiscal,
  Financial, External sectors
• Socio-demographic data Population, Health,
  Education, Poverty

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Data Dimension

• In each of the four sectors, the GDDS identifies
  economic and financial data that are considered
  most important in evaluating performance and
  policy across the economy
•  A comprehensive framework, in part A
• Real national accounts
• Fiscal government operations
• Financial depository corporations survey
• External balance of payments
• Data categories and indicators, in part B
• Where frameworks and categories/indicators that
  are identified as core are usually highest
  priority.

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Data Dimension

• For socio-demographic data, the GDDS
• Recognizes that it is necessary to complement
  economic and financial data with
  socio-demographic data.
• Notes that an internationally agreed-upon
  framework does not exist and so provides guidance
  on basic components for population, health,
  education, and poverty.

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Data Dimension

• Periodicity Frequency of dissemination
• Timeliness Lapse of time between the end of the
  reference period and the dissemination of the
  data

17
Quality Dimension

• A basic objective of the GDDS is to work towards
  the improvement of data quality
• Metadata provide information helpful for data
  users to assess quality, namely
• Publicly available statements of methodologies
• Reference to published details, cross-checks with
  other data sets

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Access and Integrity Dimensions

• A statistical system engages in data production
  and dissemination.
• The data and quality dimensions primarily address
  data production.
• The access and integrity dimensions are more
  directly concerned with data dissemination.

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Access and Integrity Dimensions

• Dissemination is given a wide interpretation all
  the means by which data are made available to the
  public by the national authorities, including
• Formal hardcopy publications
• Electronic media
• Data provided on request
• Access and integrity dimensions relate to
  agencies that disseminate data covered by the
  GDDS.

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Integrity Dimension

• Objective
• official statistics must have the confidence of
  their users. In turn, confidence in the
  statistics ultimately becomes a matter of
  confidence in the objectivity and professionalism
  of the agency
• Transparency of the agencys practices and
  procedures is a key factor in creating this
  confidence.

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Integrity Dimension

• The GDDS identifies 4 practices that represent
  transparency
• Dissemination of the terms and conditions (laws
  etc.) under which official statistics are
  produced.
• Identification of internal government access
  before release.
• Identification of ministerial commentary
  accompanying the data releases.
• Provision of information about revisions and
  advance notice of major changes in methodology.

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Access Dimension

• Objective
• Dissemination of official statistics is an
  essential feature of statistics as a public good.
  Ready and equal access are principal requirements
  for the public.
• The GDDS identifies 2 practices that promote
  ready and equal access to the data
• Advance dissemination of release calendars
• Simultaneous release of data to all interested
  parties

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Access Dimension

• Release calendars are schedules showing when data
  are to be made available to the public.
• These calendars play several roles
• They highlight sound management and transparency
  of statistical compilation.
• They provide information that data users need to
  schedule their own work.

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Graduation from GDDS to SDDS

• Countries that participate in the GDDS may see it
  as a bridge to subscription to the more demanding
  Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS)
• To date, four countries Armenia, Bulgaria,
  Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyz Republic have used the
  GDDS framework to strengthen their system to meet
  SDDS requirements

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Comparison of the SDDS and GDDS

• SDDS
• Subscription focused on international capital
  market participants
• The dimensions
• Data
• Access by the public
• Integrity
• Quality

• GDDS
• Participation for all member countries
• The dimensions
• Data
• Access by the public
• Integrity
• Quality

Both the SDDS and GDDS aim to guide countries in
providing the public with comprehensive, timely,
accessible, and reliable data.
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• GDDS
•  
• A system 
• Less prescriptive emphasis on improvement over
  time 
• Primary focus improvement in data quality by
  providing a process for evaluating needs for data
  improvements and setting priorities
• No set future date by which improvements in
  present practices must be completed.
• Covers macroeconomic andsocio-demographic data

• SDDS
•  
• A standard
•  
• Precise, specific requirements for coverage,
  periodicity, and timeliness of data
• Primary focus dissemination of frequent and
  timely data (subscribers generally already meet
  high data quality standards)
• Subscribers must meet all requirements
  immediately (exceptional transition periods)
• Covers Macroeconomic data

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GDDS and Related initiatives

• Data ROSC DQAF
• Terms
• Data ROSCData Module for Report on the
  Observance of Standards and Codes
• DQAF Data Quality Assessment Framework

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GDDS and Related initiatives

• SDDS and to a lesser degree GDDS left users on
  their own to make judgments about quality
• The DQAF of quality...
• Came after SDDS/GDDS
• Was brought into line with the emerging consensus
  that quality is a multidimensional concept.

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GDDS and Related initiatives

• DQAF a broad view of quality. Five dimensions of
  quality
• 1. Assurances of integrityAdherence to the
  principle of objectivity in the collection,
  compilation, and dissemination of statistics.
• 2. Methodological soundnessAdherence to
  international standards, guidelines, and agreed
  practices.
• 3. Accuracy and reliabilitySoundness of
  compilation techniques, and extent to which
  disseminated data sufficiently portray reality.

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GDDS and Related initiatives

• ServiceabilityData relevance, consistency,
  timeliness, and predictability of the revisions
  policy.
• AccessibilityReady availability of clear data
  and methodological notes (metadata), and adequacy
  of assistance to users.
• Prerequisites of qualityAdequacy of legal and
  institutional basis for collecting and
  disseminating data, as well as of the resources
  devoted to these activities, and degree of
  transparency of the process.

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GDDS and Related initiatives

• Summary The Data ROSC--DQAF complements the
  GDDS
• All of the elements of the SDDS/GDDS are also
  found within the DQAF

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GDDS and Related initiatives

• The Statistical Capacity Building
• GDDS plays a central role in capacity building
• process by
• Demonstrating commitment to sustainable
  improvement
• Facilitating the identification of stakeholders
• Facilitating assessment of strengths and
  weaknesses of statistical system

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GDDS and Related initiatives

• The Statistical Capacity Building Process (cont)
• Developing a vision and strategy
• Facilitating plans for improvement
• Facilitating mobilization of resources
• Monitoring progress
• Evaluating strategy
• Example Integration of GDDS in StatCap program
  of the World Bank

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Awareness raising
Develop constituency, focus on data
dissemination and quality
Metadata and plans for improvement
Monitoring evaluation
Metadata updates
Strategic planning
GDDS
Updating and disseminating metadata
Implementation
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The capacity building process
Awareness Raising and Advocacy Building
consensus for change, developing a
constituency for statistics, creating a vision
with a focus on the national statistical system
Strategic Planning Preparing strategic
statistical development/ master plans leading to
specific programs and projects for national
and donor funding
Sustainable Statistical Capacity Building Investm
ent by governments, bilateral and multilateral don
ors, including the WBs STATCAP
Feedback
Monitoring and Evaluation