Quality Management at Statistics Finland

Quality Management at Statistics Finland EU India Seminar on Quality Matters in National Accounts 25-26 Nov 2014, New Delhi, India Mr. Eurostat

Abbreviations used in the presentation BSC = Balanced Scorecard CoP = Code of Practice CoSSi = Common Structure of Statistical Information DG = Director General EFQM = European Foundation for Quality Management ESS = European Statistical System HRM = Human Resource Management NSS = National Statistical Service OSF = Official Statistics of Finland SF = Statistics Finland TPSS = Training Programme in Statistical Skills QAF = Quality Assessment Framework QRS = Quality Reporting Structure 25-26 Nov 2014 2

Contents Statistics Finland in general Quality Management in Statistics Finland Coordination and contacts with users Human Resources Management and Training Internal Quality Auditing of Statistics Finland 25-26 Nov 2014 3

Mission Statistics Finland supports democratic decision-making based on facts, as well as scientific research by producing reliable statistics, studies and datasets describing society. Statistics Finland develops the National Statistical Service in cooperation with other Government officials. Vision Statistics Finland is a top organisation in its field, recognised nationally and internationally for its high-quality data production and expertise, and for its co-operative and service capacity. Statistics Finland responds to society s changing information needs in a manner that is flexible and of high quality. 25-26 Nov 2014 4

Other producers of government statistics Development Co-ordination Co-operation Advisory Board of Statistics Finland Position and stakeholder groups Ministry of Finance Performance management agreement Resources International statistical service Development Harmonisation Exchange of data and experiences Preparation and implementation of EU legislation Data suppliers and register authorities Data collection Consultation Feedback Purchase of services Producers of external services Statistics Finland Co-operation Quality of statistics Undergraduate trainees Research institutes and universities Panels of experts Products and services Communication Marketing Information service Users of statistics Paying customers 25-26 Nov 2014 5

Production of statistics (1) Statistics Finland is medium size in Europe: almost 1,000 employees produces 170-180 different statistics on 26 topics. About 80 per cent are of those are harmonized across the European Union Some statistics are monthly or quarterly, some annual or less frequent New statistical data are released comprehensively and free-of-charge on the Internet. Altogether 600 rel. a year Each set of statistics has its own homepage containing the releases, reviews, tables and figures of the statistics as well as information on data collection methodology and data sources, etc. 25-26 Nov 2014 6

Production of statistics (2) In addition about 15 other organisations are producing statistics on their own specific fields, most important ones: Finnish Customs (foreign trade etc.) Information Centre of the Ministry of Agriculture National Institute for Health and Welfare(social services, health) A common coordinationg body Advisory Board of the Official Statistics of Finland The OSF contains some 300 statistics 25-26 Nov 2014 7

Statistical data sources The majority of the basic data for statistics are obtained from administrative registers Direct data collections from households or enterprises are used to gather the necessary data on social conditions which cannot be otherwise obtained Data collections from enterprises are generally electronic or postal inquiries and those from private citizens and households personal or telephone interviews, or postal or electronic inquiries Statistics Finland has around 200 interviewers working in different parts of the country and in the telephone interviewing centre 25-26 Nov 2014 8

Quality Management at Statistics Finland EFQM CoP User satisfaction surveys Audits and peer reviews Quality policy Legal basis UN Principles of Official statistics QAF Internal statistical audits Quality profiles Self assessments Staff surveys Feedback Feedback Feedback http://stat.fi/org/periaatteet/laadunhallinta_en.html 25-26 Nov 2014 10

Quality work at Statistics Finland is guided by Statistics Finland s quality policy Based on the European Quality Award Framework (EFQM) The ESS Code of Practice in issues relating to the field of statistics Procedures compliant with Quality Assurance Framework (QAF) Guidelines of Official Statistics of Finland (OSF) Apply and define ESS procedures in Finland s NSS The Quality Assurance jointly agreed with the producers of OSF Quality Guidelines for Official Statistics handbook Describes the principles and best practices of statistics production 25-26 Nov 2014 11

Evaluation of statistics Quality of processes is assessed with: Quality indicators (revisions, non-response, accuracy, comparab ) Self-evaluations auditing of statistics Peer reviews of statistical offices International auditing (e.g. OECD, Eurostat, IMF) Quality of products is described in the Internet service with: Quality descriptions Methodological descriptions Reporting quality on the web: Methodology reports Quality reports according to OSF (in future ESS) quality reporting standard 25-26 Nov 2014 12

Actors of Quality Management Development and co-ordination of quality policy, support, quality assurance, communication Process management and co-ordination and preparation of strategic directions Decision making, approval and general management Management group Core quality team Quality network (representatives of all departments) Internal Auditing 25-26 Nov 2014 Auditing organisation Statistics Steering group Product and service steering group Information management steering group 13 Implementation of measures DG secretariat Statistical units units units OSF advisory board Coherance between quality and strategic management Quality assurance of statistics production Quality assurance of OSF statistics

Responsibilities for Managing Quality (1) Director General holds strategic leadership with the top management team. Top management implements the operating strategy and monitors performance within the Balanced Scorecard -framework. Office of the Director General is responsible for co-ordination of national statistical system. Advisory Board of Official Statistics of Finland oversees the implementation of ESS policies in Finland. Process owners manage process quality and evaluate risks of the core processes with the help of process groups, which analyse performance and prepare actions for process improvement. 25-26 Nov 2014 14

Responsibilities for Managing Quality (2) Directors of departments manage quality of daily activities with the help of heads of units. Development projects are prepared under the supervision of the process owners. Project office supports preparation and priority setting of projects as well as undertakes a general assessment of project work. Statistical Methodology and Metadata Services units are responsible for support and supervision of best practices in the areas of methodology and metadata. Quality group and other horizontal groups have been appointed to manage co-operation in some overarching issues. 25-26 Nov 2014 15

Regular quality monitoring is organised on several levels Management information system has product/unit/department/office level information on e.g. timeliness and punctuality of publications and press releases, publicized errors that have been corrected, size of non-response in direct data-collections. Each department has a scorecard which contains some aggregated strategic indicators on product quality. Part of these indicators have been designed to be followed at the office level, part of the indicators the departments have defined by themselves. Each department sets annual goals for achieving its results with the help of the indicators. Achievement of the goals is monitored twice a year by the Management Group. 25-26 Nov 2014 16

Guidelines for implementing quality management in the statistical production process 1. General guidelines Handbooks,guidelines etc. 2. Statistical product specific working instructions General instructions, domain-specific manuals Time tables and check lists for process control 3. Guidelines relating individual aspects of statistical work Publication guidelines, Quality assurance guidelines, methodological guidelines Training 25-26 Nov 2014 17

Steps towards Quality -> 2006 2006 + Quality award application + Auditing of statistics starts 2004 2005 + EFQM self-assessment + Competition for internal quality award + Code of Practice of ESS + Management policy +Knowledge bank of project work + Quality Manager network + OSF quality criteria + Productivity 2010 2002 2003 +Strategic Intelligence (SI) system + Personnel 2010 + Operating Strategy 2003 + Systematic training of Quality Managers starts + EFQM self- assessment + Customer service principles 2000 2001 + Competence strategy + Knowledge bank for system development + Describing of processes starts + Quality Declaration of ESS + Customer management information system +Customer feedback system + Anonymous feedback system +EFQM evaluator training + Surveys: Image (1974), Customer Satisfaction (1992), Personnel (1998) + Personal appraisals (1992) +Guidelines for Professional Ethics (1993), Project Guidelines (1997), Quality -1999 Guidelines for Official Statistics (1999) +BSC +Quality award self Assessment (1998) + Quality adviser and support group for quality work +Key corporate membership of Excellence Finland (1998) Sirkku Mertanen 29.4.2014 18 25-26 Nov 2014 18

Steps towards Quality 2007-2014 2014 (sofar) + ESS peer review 2013 + Self assessment of management and strategy planning + Renewal of quality guidelines + Renewal of quality pages in web and intranet + Review of quality descriptions + Quality assurance (OSF) 2012 + Workshop on implementing of the ESS QAF 2011 + Self assessment + Planning the implementation of the ESS QAF 2010 + Process management started +Working group of quality managers started 2009 + Self evaluation of the quality of statistics +EU regulation on Statistics +EU standard for quality report 2007 2008 + Supervising group for quality and process development +EFQM self- assessment, + Self evaluation in OSF + ESS CoP peer review and self evaluation + Internal auditing 25-26 Nov 2014 19

The National Statistical Service NSS The National Statistical Service is a network of authorities responsible for the production and publication of relevant and high-quality official statistics in Finland. The functioning of the network is characterised by impartiality, independence, as well as efficiency and service ability. Development of the National Statistical Service in co-operation with other central government authorities is a statutory task of Statistics Finland. 25-26 Nov 2014 21

Advisory Board of Official Statistics of Finland http://stat.fi/meta/svt/svt-ntk_en.html The main functions of the Board are: To support SF in maintaining and developing comprehensive OSF meeting the needs of information users To issue recommendations and guidelines concerning the quality of OSF To harmonise the production processes of statistics and spread good practices in the scope of OSF To maintain and develop the portal of OSF 25-26 Nov 2014 22

http://stat.fi/meta/svt/index_en.html 25-26 Nov 2014 23

Producers of Official Statistics and ESS authorities Legal status Producer of OSF ESS authority statistical authority: Statistics Finland Statistics Finland other authority producing statistics: other statistics producer: The Bank of Finland is part of the Finnish Customs National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) Information Centre of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (TIKE) Finnish Meteorological Institute Finnish Transport Agency Finnish Transport Safety Agency Agricultural Economic Research Institute National Land Survey of Finland Finnish Forest Research Institute Finnish Game and Fisheries Institute Finnish Environment Institute Ministry of Employment and the Economy Finnish Centre for Pensions Social Insurance Institution of Finland Finnish Institute of Occupational Health Finnish Customs National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) Information Centre of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (TIKE) Finnish Transport Agency Finnish Transport Safety Agency Agricultural Economic Research Institute Finnish Forest Research Institute Finnish Game and Fisheries Institute Finnish Institute of Occupational Health Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) 25-26 Nov 2014 24 European System of Central Banks Office of Director General/Tuula Hausmann 27.2.2014

Contacts with users In addition to the Advisory Board for Statistics Finland, there are more than 40 cooperative or expert groups, mainly focusing on the most important statistics. These groups have as members representatives of users. Statistics Finland s experts are members in more than 100 cooperative or working groups set by various public authorities, Approximately 80 per cent of those groups deal also with user opinions and feedback 25-26 Nov 2014 25

Policy outlines of personnel strategy 2010-2015 25-26 Nov 2014 27

Core Competences and Development of Personnel Core Competences are Statistical skills - methodological and institutional know-how Familiarity with described topic Knowledge of statistical methods and official statistics Knowledge of the demand for statistical data Knowledge of presentation of statistical data. Goal-oriented personnel training focuses on Statistical skills Leadership skills Skills relating to international tasks Information technology and network know-how Customer management Quality and project work skills Voluntary studying for e.g. a professional qualification or an academic degree can be supported with flexible arrangements of working hours and by granting paid or unpaid leaves of absence for studies. 25-26 Nov 2014 28

Training programme in statistical skills (TPSS) (1) The training programme (TPSS) consists of basic studies for new employees and advanced studies for statistical experts to deepen and broaden their professional mastery in statistics. Quality principles and frameworks (CoP, EFQM) are included on both level of studies. The advanced studies consists also the quality guidelines of SF and a statistical auditing as a practical work assignment. 25-26 Nov 2014 29

Training programme in statistical skills (TPSS) (2) TPSS Basic Studies Organised since 2005 More than 200 employees of Statistics Finland have completed them 25 trainers, all employed by Statistics Finland TPSS Advanced Studies Started in 2007-2009. The aim is to provide the personnel with more in-depth and extensive statistical professional skills. The duration is two academic years, totally 300-440 hours. TPSS advanced studies started in 2007-2009. 15-20 students at a time start biannully this training programme. 25-26 Nov 2014 30

Internal Quality Auditing at Statistics Finland (1) The whole production process of particular statistics in question is reviewed thoroughly Systematic approach to evaluate and question ways of working, methods and techniques => development proposals Identifying and searching best/good practices used in different statistics and spreading them at the organisation level Increases knowledge in networking experts from very different parts of organisation, and brings more discussions to organisational culture 25-26 Nov 2014 32

Internal Quality Auditing at Statistics Finland (2) Summary general evaluation (ways of working etc.) development proposals good practices / good examples increasing knowledge Up to the end of 2013, over 60 voluntary auditors have participated in around 65 audits that have involved one or several similar statistics production processes 25-26 Nov 2014 33

Operational Structure Steering group (currently 6 members) External collegial auditor team of 3 members from the pool of auditors Team of persons in charge from the statistical production process (1-4 members) The Self-assessment Form Preparations, control and communication Auditing, Collegial procedure Concensual procedure Report, plan of actions, follow-up Self-assessment, Collection of documentation 25-26 Nov 2014 34

Extensive Internet Questionnaire Headings of the Self-assessment Form: Administrative information Planning and management Contacts with users Staff competence (& working situations) IT systems Data collection Data processing Dissemination Documentation and archiving Follow-up, evaluation and improvements 25-26 Nov 2014 35

Thank You! Comments and questions? Correspondence: kari.djerf@stat.fi kari.djerf@gmail.com 25-26 Nov 2014 36