Post on 04-Apr-2022
Project for the Regional Advancement
of Statistics in the Caribbean
PRASC
Working meeting
Regional Quality Assurance Workshop
December 5-9, 2016
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Laurie Reedman
Statistics Canada
Overview
December 5, 2016
St. Kitts and Nevis
What is a Quality Assurance Framework
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Overarching reference document that describes
principles of quality management
▫ Should maybe be called Quality Management Framework
▫ Many NSOs have one
▫ Statistical Institute of Jamaica has an excellent one, and
they have a suite of quality management tools
▫ Some regional ones exist (ie. European Statistical System
has one, which they encourage member states to adopt)
▫ Some organizations call it a Code of Practice
▫ Several generic templates exist
What is a Quality Assurance Framework
Describes the NSO’s values
Provides context for quality concerns, activities
and initiatives
Serves as the single reference point for quality
concepts, principles, policies, guidelines,
standards, and practices
The framework could include:
▫ Principles or Policy Statements or Objectives
▫ Standards or Implementation Guidelines
▫ Adherence or quality assessment tools (checklist)
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What a QAF is used for
Communicates to employees at all levels of the NSO what
is important in terms of quality
Guides NSO decision makers in where to place priorities,
what to strive towards
Sets a benchmark for quality management for other
departments contributing to the National Statistical
System
Demonstrates the NSO’s quality commitment to external
organizations
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Why Create a Regional QAF
The principles of quality assurance are common
Your challenges and priorities are similar
Quality management strategies across NSOs in
the region should be coherent
You are stronger working together than
independently
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What a QAF looks like
A QAF is a reference document
Contains a series of topics
The topics can be organized into themes
Each topic has about a page of text (could be more, could
be less)
Text can include:
▫ A description of the context of this topic
▫ A statement of the principle that should be ever-present in this
context
▫ Standards or guidelines for how to implement or demonstrate this
principle (optional)
▫ Assessment questions or checklist to reveal to what extent
standards/guidelines have been implemented (optional)06/01/20178
Example of a topic in a QAF
Quality Commitment
▫ Context: For data users to trust the data of an NSO they
must be assured that the quality of statistical processes and
products is appropriately managed, and that the operations
of the NSO are free from undue influence.
▫ Principle: The NSO uses strictly professional
considerations, including scientific principles and
professional ethics, in its methods and procedures for the
collection, processing, storage and presentation of statistical
data.
▫ Guidelines: quality management strategy is documented
and available; there is an organizational structure and tools
to manage quality of processes and products.
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Some possible topics in a QAF
These are a few ideas. There is a longer list in a Word document.
Quality commitment
Coordination of the national statistical system
Statistical standards, sound implementation of sound methods
Professional independence, impartiality, objectivity, transparency
Confidentiality, privacy and security
Relations with data providers, data users, stakeholders
Allocation of resources, cost effectiveness
Response burden, collection modes
Quality assurance of statistical products
▫ Dimensions of product quality
Quality assurance of statistical processes
▫ Dimensions or features of process quality
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Content Development
Decide what you are including: context,
principles, standards, guidelines, assessment,
something else?
Decide on the topics
Decide on the scope, or level of detail for each
topic
Organize the topics into themes, or simply order
them somehow
For each topic, decide what are the key ideas
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Content Development (continued)
You can work topic by topic, or do all contexts,
then all principles, or proceed another way
Draft, review and refine the text, keeping in mind:
▫ You don’t want to have to update it often
▫ It should be relevant to everyone in the region
▫ Respect whatever scope you decide on in terms of breadth
and depth
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Format of the RQAF
While the content is essential, it is also important
to think about the container
▫ Accessibility – will the RQAF be referenced mostly on
paper, or electronically? The answer to this question will
influence how the information should be organized and
presented
▫ Searchability – if paper document, then topics should follow
a logical order; if electronic, readers can search on key
words. Some topics could have overlapping or related
standards or guidelines. To what extent should these be
cross-referenced?
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Format of the RQAF (continued)
More considerations:
▫ Expandability – a QAF is always evolving
• Add new topics
• Add standards or guidelines to existing topics
• Relevant for new phenomena such as Big Data
▫ Coherence – the RQAF should be coherent with other
governance documents of the region, and also with those of
the NSOs (or at the very least should not be in contradiction
with them)
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Developing Your RQAF
You can draw inspiration from existing
frameworks, and from your own experience and
ideas
Include the topics or themes that are relevant for
you
Phrase quality principles so that they reflect your
values and your reality
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Where to Start
One possible approach is
outlined on the next slide. You
might decide on a completely
different approach. This is your
RQAF. We are here to facilitate
but not to direct you.
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One possible approach
1. Choose topics
2. Organize topics into themes
3. Some themes will include standards and guidelines,
while other themes might be overarching
4. Decide on scope (principles, standards, etc.)
5. Decide on format
6. Draft a template of the format
7. Split into groups and distribute themes among groups
8. Set goals and timeline for content development
9. Whole group meet back regularly to share and provide
feedback to each other
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You can contact the PRASC team at:
statcan.prasc-prasc.statcan@canada.ca