SB urged to modernise data dissemination
Isaac Pinielo | Friday June 24, 2016 16:17
Programme coordinator at the PARIS21 secretariat for the Africa region, Shelton Kanyanda said data dissemination in Botswana has not been very good, as most reports were made public in formats that were not friendly to the user.
“For instance, reports were disseminated only in PDF (Portable Document Format) without accompanying them with Microsoft Excel files for the tables that have been used. This is very critical for the users,” he said.
He said the other improvement that needs to be considered is the updating of databases with the latest data, adding that feedback mechanisms from users should also be enhanced.
However, Kanyanda said mechanisms are at an advanced stage to introduce a new website that will incorporate some of the observations above.
In the modern days, he said, data is being disseminated through visualisation, use of info graphics and use of video graphics.
“In the digital era, use of geo-spatial data is at the centre of linking the data and geography,” he said.
According to Kanyanda, exposure to such techniques will ensure that producers of statistics be it at SB or from government ministries or agencies or from the academics or from the media are able to send the right message to the right people.
He noted that in recent years, the way data is being disseminated and utilised is changing rapidly, adding that this is particularly impacting the way those producing statistics to communicate results to users of statistics.
“Users of statistics would like to access data while they are travelling, working, socialising and basically they need updated data everywhere,” said Kanyanda.
He indicated that this is why PARIS21 (Partnership in Statistics for Development in the 21st Century) is working with national statistical offices across the globe to improve the way they communicate and disseminate their data.
He said data in Botswana is greatly improving particularly as part of the implementation of the 2015-2020 National Strategy for the Development of Statistics.
He further stated that there is a need to improve some reports such as tourism statistics, saying that they do not cover nights spent in hotels. He said this is something that SB needs to consider.
“There is also room for improvement in the Statistics Year Book to cover more sectors and more time series,” Kanyanda said.
He was speaking on the sidelines of the just-ended two-day training workshop on data dissemination strategies in the digital age organised by PARIS21 in collaboration with SB.
The workshop aimed at exposing producers and users of statistics from the national statistics system of Botswana to data and knowledge in the digital age, techniques on telling stories from data, data stories and visual, how to improve data communication environment and workflow.
The workshop also introduced the participants to open source data visualisation software to ensure that users are not limited to financial constraints to use the software.
Currently, SB is going through a lot of technical and administrative improvements and the workshop was said to be timely, as it will further improve the way statistics are being disseminated.
The training is also expected to improve coordination with other government ministries and agencies in the dissemination of statistics.
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SB urged to modernise data dissemination
ISAAC PINIELO
Staff Writer
The national statistical agency, Statistics Botswana (SB) has been encouraged to adopt modern ways of disseminating statistical information.
Programme coordinator at the PARIS21 secretariat for the Africa region, Shelton Kanyanda said data dissemination in Botswana has not been very good, as most reports were made public in formats that were not friendly to the user.
“For instance, reports were disseminated only in PDF (Portable Document Format) without accompanying them with Microsoft Excel files for the tables that have been used. This is very critical for the users,” he said.
He said the other improvement that needs to be considered is the updating of databases with the latest data, adding that feedback mechanisms from users should also be enhanced.
However, Kanyanda said mechanisms are at an advanced stage to introduce a new website that will incorporate some of the observations above.
In the modern days, he said, data is being disseminated through visualisation, use of info graphics and use of video graphics.
“In the digital era, use of geo-spatial data is at the centre of linking the data and geography,” he said.
According to Kanyanda, exposure to such techniques will ensure that producers of statistics be it at SB or from government ministries or agencies or from the academics or from the media are able to send the right message to the right people.
He noted that in recent years, the way data is being disseminated and utilised is changing rapidly, adding that this is particularly impacting the way those producing statistics to communicate results to users of statistics.
“Users of statistics would like to access data while they are travelling, working, socialising and basically they need updated data everywhere,” said Kanyanda.
He indicated that this is why PARIS21 (Partnership in Statistics for Development in the 21st Century) is working with national statistical offices across the globe to improve the way they communicate and disseminate their data.
He said data in Botswana is greatly improving particularly as part of the implementation of the 2015-2020 National Strategy for the Development of Statistics.
He further stated that there is a need to improve some reports such as tourism statistics, saying that they do not cover nights spent in hotels. He said this is something that SB needs to consider.
“There is also room for improvement in the Statistics Year Book to cover more sectors and more time series,” Kanyanda said.
He was speaking on the sidelines of the just-ended two-day training workshop on data dissemination strategies in the digital age organised by PARIS21 in collaboration with SB.
The workshop aimed at exposing producers and users of statistics from the national statistics system of Botswana to data and knowledge in the digital age, techniques on telling stories from data, data stories and visual, how to improve data communication environment and workflow.
The workshop also introduced the participants to open source data visualisation software to ensure that users are not limited to financial constraints to use the software.
Currently, SB is going through a lot of technical and administrative improvements and the workshop was said to be timely, as it will further improve the way statistics are being disseminated.
The training is also expected to improve coordination with other government ministries and agencies in the dissemination of statistics.