4th Edition of the Handbook of Statistical Organization Beta version 2.1 18 February 2021 1 | Page Table of Content Table of Content ....................................................................................................................... 2 Chapter 1. Introduction ...................................................................................................... 8 1.1 General context .................................................................................................................... 8 1.2 Purpose, users and uses of the Handbook .......................................................................... 11 1.3 Main topics, key concepts, and terminologies ................................................................... 12 1.4 Features and outline of the Handbook ............................................................................... 15 Chapter 2. Overview of the Handbook ............................................................................ 20 2.1 Official statistics ................................................................................................................ 20 2.2 The international dimension .............................................................................................. 20 2.3 Basis of official statistics ................................................................................................... 21 2.4 National statistical offices and national statistical systems ............................................... 21 2.5 The role of the chief statistician ......................................................................................... 23 2.6 Statistical confidentiality ................................................................................................... 24 2.7 Who are the users of official statistics? ............................................................................. 25 2.8 Maintaining close relations with users ............................................................................... 26 2.9 Data for official statistics ................................................................................................... 27 2.10 Comparing modes of data acquisition.............................................................................. 29 2.11 Time and space dimensions of data ................................................................................. 31 2.12 Sustainable development indicators ................................................................................. 31 2.13 The statistical production processes................................................................................. 32 2.14 Managing quality ............................................................................................................. 35 2.15 Disseminating and communicating the statistics ............................................................. 35 2.16 International statistical cooperation ................................................................................. 37 2.17 The constant challenge of modernizing official statistics ................................................ 39 2.18 Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic ................................................................................. 40 2.19 Infrastructure and resources ............................................................................................. 41 Chapter 3. The Basis of Official Statistics ....................................................................... 43 3.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 43 2 | Page 3.2 UN Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics .............................................................. 45 3.3. Other principles practices and guidelines ......................................................................... 52 3.4 Legislative frameworks ...................................................................................................... 57 3.5. Certification and branding of official statistics ................................................................. 62 Chapter 4. The National Statistical System .................................................................... 66 4.1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 66 4.2 Structure of the national statistical system......................................................................... 67 4.3 Organization of national statistical systems ....................................................................... 76 4.4 Annual and multi-annual planning and priority setting ..................................................... 89 4.5 Involving users in the national statistical system ............................................................... 98 4.6 Coordination of the national statistical system ................................................................ 104 Chapter 5. The National Statistical Office .................................................................... 110 5.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 110 5.2 Characteristics of NSOs ................................................................................................... 111 5.3 National statistical office as an organization ................................................................... 113 5.4 Governance and leadership .............................................................................................. 122 5.5 Statistical Business Architecture...................................................................................... 132 5.6 Project management approaches ...................................................................................... 135 5.7 Change management ........................................................................................................ 136 5.8 Risk management ............................................................................................................. 137 Chapter 6. Users and their Needs .................................................................................. 138 6.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 138 6.2 Measuring and analysing user satisfaction and needs...................................................... 139 6.3 Organizing and setting up contacts .................................................................................. 142 6.4 Needs of Government and administration ....................................................................... 143 6.5 Needs of the Central Bank ............................................................................................... 145 6.6 Needs of the public .......................................................................................................... 146 6.7 Needs of businesses ......................................................................................................... 147 6.8 Needs of education ........................................................................................................... 148 6.9 Needs of researchers and academia ................................................................................. 149 6.10 Needs of the media......................................................................................................... 151 3 | Page 6.11 Needs of international institutions ................................................................................. 152 6.12 Needs associated with the Sustainable Development Goals .......................................... 153 6.13 Needs of other international policy frameworks ............................................................ 154 6.14 Statistical communication .............................................................................................. 154 Chapter 7. Quality Management .................................................................................... 157 7.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 157 7.2 Generic quality management systems and other relevant standards ................................ 160 7.3 Quality assurance frameworks, guidelines, and tools ...................................................... 165 7.4 National quality assurance frameworks, guidelines, and tools ........................................ 175 7.5 Designing and developing a quality management framework ......................................... 179 7.6 Evaluation of a statistical process and its outputs ............................................................ 185 7.7 Quality evaluation and certification of NSOs .................................................................. 188 7.8 Relationships with other organizational policies, strategies, and frameworks ................ 189 7.9 Implementing a quality management framework ............................................................ 191 7.10 Relevance to other producers of official statistics ......................................................... 193 Chapter 8. Data Sources, Collection and Processing ................................................... 194 8.1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................