Alan Lewis SASPAC Project Officer

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Alan Lewis - SASPAC Project Officer with Hugh
Neffendorf on the Crystal Ball 2011 Census Data
Distributor Workshop 20th March 2007
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• Presentation structure
• What is SASPAC?
• SASPACs uses and users
• SASPAC in 2001
• 2011 preparation and vision
• Our wishes
• Crystal Ball

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• What is SASPAC?
• mall rea tatistics
  kage
• Conceived in 1978 to access 1981 Census
  (Mainframe to Windows-based PC environment). 1991
  and 2001 versions.
• IDeA (local govt) owns the Intellectual Property
  Rights (IPR)
• Managed/developed on behalf of IDeA and its users
  by GLA
• Owned and managed by the Public Sector and is
  Not for Profit
• Funded purely through user annual subscriptions

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• SASPAC, its Uses and its Users
• Data Searching Querying Analysis
  Manipulation Export - Presentation
• All 2001 datasets for the UK (inc. SMS/SWS/TVS),
  1991/81 Census, Specially Commissioned Tables,
  other non-Census data e.g. NeSS/OAC/users local
  data
• Users oversee and inform development through
  SASPAC Advisory Panel (SAP), helpdesk, website,
  roadshows and training
• Currently approx. 300 member organisations in the
  scheme (inc. local, central and regional govt,
  health sector, academia, Census Offices, private
  sector)

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• SASPAC in 2001
• Windows-based software distributed on CD and
  updates via Web
• Designed to run on users local PCs, networks and
  thin clients
• Data distributed to our users by CD/DVD/Web
• Strengths

- datasets
- export
- searchable
- GIS
- metadata
- Web Publisher
- new zones creation
- flexible
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• SASPAC in 2001
• On the whole we think we got things about right,
  met our user needs for 2001 and continue to do so
• SASPAC represents a large and important user
  group
• SASPACs user spectrum

• SASPAC keeps changing to reflect the needs of
  this major user group

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• Preparing for 2011
• Early days but started thinking and planning for
  2011 already
• Programme of consultation and planning between
  now and 2011
• includes - consulting with SASPAC Advisory
  Panel (SAP)
• - user questionnaires
• - roadshows/conferences (with Census
  Offices)
• - funding plan
• More Web-based but retain the strengths/power of
  desktop version
• Understanding the balance of roles between Census
  and Intermediaries

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• Vision for 2011
• Build a culture of trust and partnership between
  Intermediaries and Census Offices
• Work with Census Offices to help improve delivery
  of the Census data to user spectrum through an
  appropriate output strategy
• Working closer with Academic Sector (who are also
  SASPAC Users), possible joint development but
  definitely collaboration and sharing of
  experience
• Deliver accurate data to our users on time

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• SASPACs 4 wishes
• Bulk delivery in popular formats (CSV/SASPAC)
  Web is unlikely to meet all re-suppliers demands
• Controlled early release of data to re-suppliers
  for pre-processing and to trusted/experienced
  users for QA (rehearsal of 2011 output streams
  using 2001 data)
• Agreement in advance of nationally comparable
  standard tables
• Improved error tracking/management systems

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• SASPACs Crystal Ball

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• Crystal Ball 1
• We need to think about 2013, not 2011
• We cant really imagine all the technology yet
• The Web wont be quite like today (e.g. Web 2.0)
• There will be no (significant) bandwidth, speed
  or size constraints
• Web and desktop will be indistinguishable
• More use of online data data filter tool

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• Crystal Ball 2
• Probably .NET base. Search engine style
• We will avoid proprietary approaches
• Very new look and feel but still portable, open,
  efficient
• More user features e.g. publishing, analysis,
  help, wizards
• Work programme established, including
  consultation and academic liaison
• We will produce first release in 2011 with 2001
  data

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• Hughs 4 wishes
• There should be NO differences between E, S, W,
  NI censuses except in cases where the need is
  overwhelmingly clear.
• OS data embedded in boundaries should be
  available on consistent terms to ONS data.
• Imputation should involve modelling where data is
  sparse, rather than donor records (e.g. matrix
  data). Similarly, disclosure control should be
  clever instead of just adjusting numbers. Tables
  about the same things should add up to the same
  numbers.
• Output planning should be weighted toward real,
  serious Census users and not to casual ones that
  just want a number.

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Alan Lewis - SASPAC Project Officer with Hugh
Neffendorf on the Crystal Ball