Project for the Regional Advancement

Project for the Regional Advancement

of Statistics in the Caribbean

PRASC

Working meeting

Regional Quality Assurance Workshop

December 5-9, 2016

06/01/2017Statistics Canada • Statistique Canada3

Laurie Reedman

Statistics Canada

Overview

December 5, 2016

St. Kitts and Nevis

What is a Quality Assurance Framework


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)


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


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


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.


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

06/01/201710

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


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


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?


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)


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


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.


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



You can contact the PRASC team at:

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Project for the Regional Advancement

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