Towards an Integrated Statistical System at Statistics Netherlands

Abstract

Changes in circumstances put pressure on Statistics Netherlands (SN) to redesign the way its statistics are produced. Key developments are: the changing needs of data-users, growing competition, pressure to reduce the survey burden on enterprises, emerging new technologies and methodologies and, first and foremost, the need for more efficiency because of budget cuts.

This paper describes how SN, and especially its business statistics, can adapt to these new circumstances. We envisage an optimum situation as one with a single standardised production line for all statistics and a central data repository at its core. This single production line is supported by generic and standardised tools, metadata and workflow management.

However, it is clear that such an optimum situation cannot be realised in just a few years. It should be seen as the point on the horizon. Therefore, we also describe the first transformation steps from the product-based stovepipe-oriented statistical process of the past to a more integrated process of the future.

A similar modernisation process exists in the area of social statistics. In the near future both systems of business and social statistics are expected to connect at pivotal points and eventually converge on one overall business architecture for SN. Discussions about such an overall business architecture for SN have already been started and the first core projects have been set up.