united nations workshop on revision 3 of principles and recommendations for population and housing...

United Nations Workshop on Revision 3 of Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses and Evaluation of Census Data, Amman 19 – 23 October 2014

Planning, Organization and Management of Population and

Housing CensusesPart I

United Nations Statistics Division


Overview Main processes for planning, organization and

management Overall census planning Strategic objectives Legal basis Financial management Administrative organization User consultation, communication and publicity Human resource management Census calendar Logistics management Contracting out Quality assurance


Overall census planning Census planning require multi-dimensional and

simultaneous approach as it is: The most complicated and expensive operation Consisting of a complex series of interrelated steps

In general, census operations can be divided into the following phases- census questionnaire, mapping, testing, enumeration, data processing, evaluation, dissemination and analysis

For successful census operation, sufficient and appropriate weights should be given to a wide range of subject-matter and statistical requirements particularly for cross-cutting issues such as technology used for many essential phases of the census

Overall census planning

Main questions for overall planning What are main innovations for the upcoming

censuses Census methodology? Technological options?

Realistic approaches according to country` conditions

How the benefits from the census can be improved?



Strategic objectives

Strategic objectives are important for successful development of census plans and will differ according to national circumstances

Census content: to meet with the requirements of the users taking into account cost-effectiveness, human resources, time availability and response burden

Impact on the public and the census staff: to ensure personal information is secure and confidential, inform the public about census objectives, content and methods and their rights and obligations

Production of census results: to deliver census products and services to meet legal obligations and users` needs with stated quality standards and predetermined timetable

Cost-effectiveness: to plan and carry out a census as inexpensively as possible without compromising the other strategic objectives –adopting more efficient data collection and processing methods, contracting out appropriate parts, international cooperation, reuse of systems

Cost benefit: to increase the value and benefit generated from the census - the plans should focus on realizing these benefits

Legal authority for implementing, obtaining necessary fund and determining general scope and timing

Depending on national legal practices and procedures and on organization of the national civil services, the content of the census legislation should be determined

The following components are usually represented: coverage, assigning the mandate to a specific institution, purpose

of the census, obligations and rights of the citizens, modes of financing the census, right and obligations of enumerators and supervisors, census data dissemination, treatment of individual data, confidentiality and privacy of respondents and their data and archiving

Necessary details should be contained in the census regulations prepared by the census authority


Legal basis

All census operations including planning, cartography, enumeration, processing, evaluating, dissemination and analysis should be budgeted from the beginning and efforts should be made to mobilize the required fund

Key issues: Cost-effective strategies to reduce census costs without comprising

the quality Census operation should be seen as national task involving all

stakeholders- improve the advocacy for sufficient funding Technologies and methods must be decided in advance Outsourcing to the private sector should be considered as cost-

saving option Control measures for costs of census activities and monitoring

systems must be developed for cost effectiveness


Financial management

It is important to consider the role of various executive and advisory organs An office continuously responsible for census work-

principal body for initiating preparatory work, formulation of the programme, following developments in technology and methodology, continuity of knowledge and skills from one census to another

National, subnational and local commissions and communities during planning and preparation of census activities

Census operation is a unique opportunity to exercise statistical leadership in promoting the use of statistics


Administrative organisation

Comprehensive communication programme covers three distinct audiences: Major users of data- consultation on census topics,

definitions and on dissemination of census results –from governmental departments, ministries, universities, research institutions, private sector, NGOs

Persons and institutions participating in the census operations - providing personnel, equipment, supplies, space, transportation or communications facilities

General public- through publicity and information campaigns building public awareness on the purposes , the benefits and to inform about the confidentiality of individual data


User consultation, communication and publicity

Consideration should be given to the needs for certain specialized skills – mapping, data capture and processing, specific dissemination outputs/tools especially new technology/method is used

An efficient and comprehensive training programme for building capacity in application of new or improved technologies/softwares/methods

An effective training programme for large numbers of fresh employees with the necessary skills

Early arrangements for developing training programme is necessary to use appropriate training facilities and produce training manuals


Human resource management

Census calendar indicating the sequence and estimated duration of each of the component operations of the census is necessary at the early stage of census planning

The calendar should be shared with all stakeholders in advance for advise and support

The calendar should be revised and made more detailed as planning proceeds , with the aim of establishing final dates as soon as practicable


Census calendar

It is a process of planning, implementation and controlling the flow of census materials and equipment needed for implementation of census operations

Scope of logistics programme usually differs from one country to another but mostly covers; a) renting central and field offices, b) installing furniture and equipment, c) providing help desk support, d)delivering and collecting all census materials including manuals, questionnaires, publicity materials and others

National statistical offices may need to establish a special team for planning, implementation and controlling the logistic programme

Outsourcing of some activities should be carefully examined at the planning phase of logistics programme


Logistics management

Contracting out can be used as a way of increasing efficiency by utilizing the advanced methods and technologies not necessarily available in the national statistical office through a competitive selection process

The following activities are examples: Layout and printing of census questionnaires Packing, delivery of census materials and return collection of

census materials Census mapping Publicity and public relations Training Inventory and storage of filled in questionnaires Scanning/data entry Data processing and tabulation Publication and dissemination


Contracting out

The NSO should build the capacity to ensure proper outsourcing which requires a solid and comprehensive knowledge of contemporary technologies and their advantages and disadvantages as well as past experiences at home or in other countries

Risk assessment should be made to identify a critical component for outsourcing; what are the risks for failure and costs and what would be a plan to solve the failures

In the context of quality management, the outsourcing of components of census operations requires the NSO to take full responsibility for the quality of the census data


Contracting out

Careful consideration for following criteria: Strict protection of data confidentiality Method of confidentiality assurance that satisfies the general public Guaranteed measures of quality assurance Ability of manage and monitor the outsourced census activities Control over the core competence of the NSO and appropriateness

judgement, considering the specific situation of each country

Continuous monitoring of the progress of work entrusted to the selected company is necessary and the NSO should ensure that a system for monitoring quality is built into the contract


Contracting out

A major goal of quality assurance programme is to detect errors during the process and take remedial actions- a quality improvement programme

The system should be established at all phases of census operations including planning, pre-enumeration activities, enumeration, document flow, data capture, coding, editing, tabulation and dissemination


Importance of quality assurance programme

Without such a programme, the census data may contain many errors which can severely diminish the usefulness of the results

Dimensions of statistical quality

The followings are generally accepted attributes: Relevance – the degree to which statistics meet users`needs Completeness- the degree to which statistics fully cover the

phenomenon they are supposed to cover Accuracy- distance between the estimated and (unknown)

true value Comparability- the degree to which statistics are comparable

over geographical area and time Coherence- the degree to which the census information can

be successfully brought together with other statistical information within a broad frame work and overtime


Dimensions of statistical quality

Timeliness – time elapsed between release of data and reference point (usually census date)

Accessibility- the ease with which statistical data can be obtained by users

Interpretability- the availability of supplementary information and metadata necessary to interpret and use it


Quality is relative, based on what is acceptable or fit for the purpose, rather than a concept of absolute perfection

Components of quality assurance

Determining quality targets Targets should be realistic, affordable and manageable for

all possible dimensions of quality assurance Some examples of such targets:

Accuracy- to produce national population with at least 95 percent confidence-

Timeliness- to release first final results within one year of census day

Accessibility- to disseminate all outputs online Relevance- consultation with users on the census

content at least one year before finalizing the content of the census questionnaire-setting process



Operational quality control To minimize the errors, it is essential to monitor and control

errors at all stages of census operations


Implement corrective action

Identify problems

Identify causes of problems

Measure quality

Many census tasks are highly repetitive and a operational quality control system can be established

The following issues should be identified in advance for developing such system: The types of errors that may occur What information is required to identify

such errors How this information will be collected in

a timely manner during live operations What action will be taken


Census operations which quality assurance programme can be developed Topic selection Form design and testing Field operations-mapping, enumeration, PES Data processing-data capture, coding, editing/imputation Dissemination and utilization

Quality assurance programme should be documented – methodology, types of errors, actions to solve, lessons learned, recommendations for future censuses



Units, Place and Time of Enumeration

Units of Enumeration

Clarity about the units of enumeration is essential for planning the census activities


Population censusUnit of enumeration: Person

Households

Housing censusUnit of enumeration: Household

Households

Place of enumeration

The place of enumeration would be either the place where the person is found or the place of usual residence of the person at the census reference moment

It should be ensured that each person should have only one place of enumeration


In general, “usual residence” is defined for census purposes as the place at which the person lives at the time of the census, and has been there for some time or intends to stay there for some time.

Place of enumeration

It is recommended that countries apply a threshold of 12 months when considering place of usual residence according to one of the following two criteria: The place at which the person has lived continuously for

most of the last 12 months (that is, for at least six months and one day), not including temporary absences for holidays or work assignments, or intends to live for at least six months;

The place at which the person has lived continuously for at least the last 12 months, not including temporary absences for holidays or work assignments, or intends to live for at least 12 months.


Place of enumeration The following persons would generally be considered in the usually

resident population: Persons found at the moment of enumeration that cannot identify

their place of usual residence, such as those that move often National military, naval and diplomatic personnel and their families,

located outside the country Foreign persons working for international organisations (not

including foreign diplomats or military forces), provided that they meet the criteria for the usual residence in the country

Merchant seamen and fishermen usually resident in the country but at sea at the time of the census (including those who have no place of residence other than their quarters aboard ship)

Persons who may be illegal, irregular or undocumented migrants, and persons who have applied for or been granted refugee status provided that they meet the criteria for the usual residence in the country


Place of enumeration The following persons would generally be considered in the usually

resident population: Persons who cross a frontier daily or weekly to work or study in

another country, provided that they meet the criteria for the usual residence in the country

Children born in the twelve months before the census reference time and whose families are usually resident in the country at the census reference time

Persons of minor age studying abroad for one year or more to attain the primary or secondary level of education, regardless of the frequency of return to the family home located within the country. If the person is also working abroad, the same rules for cross-border workers apply

Persons who regularly live in more than one country during a year, if they are present in the country at the moment of the enumeration


Place of enumeration The following group of persons need to be considered for being

excluded from the usual resident population: Foreign military, naval and diplomatic personnel and their families,

located in the country, regardless of their place of usual residence Persons of minor age attending the primary or secondary level of

education whose family home is located abroad, regardless of the duration of their stay. However, if these persons are also working in the country, then the identification of the place of usual residence follows the same rules for cross-border workers

Third level students who are absent from the country for one year or more

Persons who regularly live in more than one country during a year, if they are not present in the country at the moment of the enumeration


Time of enumeration One of the essential features of population and housing

censuses is that each person and/or each set of living quarters must be enumerated as nearly as possible in respect of the same well-defined point of time - by fixing a census "moment" at midnight at the beginning of the census day

For the population census, Each person alive up to the census moment is included in the total

population Infants born after the census moment are not to be included in the

total population


united nations workshop on revision 3 of principles and recommendations for population and housing...

Documents

census slide

census objectives

census products

census operations

census staff

evaluation of census

management overall census

successful census operation