New Technologies in Census Data Collection Part 3: Timeline Impacts Select Topics in International Censuses1 Released February 2019 INTRODUCTION Difference in countries’ sizes and populations make it diffi- cult to provide milestone recommendations that are defini- Building a census timeline is a foundational activity for tive and generally applicable. This STIC includes some census planning and management. This brief is part three recommended milestones and offers a roadmap for how of a series of technical notes, New Technologies in Census to merge the requirements of a traditional census timeline Data Collection. The two previously published STICs in with the system development requirements of an e-census. this series contain more information on the logistical and Appendix I provides an example of milestones for a hypo- methodological implications of the transition to electronic thetical country deploying an e-census for the first time. collection technologies. This STIC will assist National Statistical Offices (NSOs) in planning an e-census timeline TIMELINE DEVELOPMENT by comparing the scheduling requirements for a traditional paper and pencil (PAPI) census with electronic collection Team Formation and Determining Milestones using computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) on Development of an integrated data collection system is a mobile devices or computer-assisted self-interview (CASI) key difference between e- and PAPI-censuses. The NSO on the Internet. An integrated system that combines case will oversee the development of a major new system that allocation and operational control with data transmission includes software and hardware components. Some of the and storage is assumed to underpin an e-census. first steps are creating the specifications for this system Principles and Recommendations for Population and and assembling a timeline. Putting together teams with Housing Censuses (United Nations, 2015) notes the impor- the expertise to produce the timeline and other planning tance of fully developed timelines for a range of census documents is one of the first steps toward an e-census. operations. It also suggests that the milestones associ- Teams comprised of software developers and IT ated with timelines be used to monitor progress, provide a specialists/network administrators along with specialists benchmark for risk analysis, and raise alerts when neces- from field, subject matter, and geography/cartography sary. The Handbook on the Management of Population areas, must be assembled and tasked with developing and Housing Censuses (United Nations, 2016) expands timelines for their pieces of the census timeline. Managers on these recommendations by (1) providing information should provide information on the major methodological on the Gantt chart, the primary tool for showing project and logistical differences between e- and PAPI-censuses. timelines, (2) listing activities that comprise census time- Refer to the previous New Technologies in Census Data lines, and (3) offering guidance on how to use these tools Collection STICs for more information on methodological for project control and risk management. These resources differences and logistical requirements. should be the first stop for any NSO management team requiring background on census timeline creation. 1 This technical note is part of a series on Select Topics in International Censuses (STIC), exploring matters of interest to the international statistical commu- nity. The U.S. Census Bureau helps countries improve their national statistical systems by engaging in capacity building to enhance statistical competencies in sustainable ways. Milestones are key to project management. They allow all of a traditional PAPI census timeline and the consequences the teams working on the census project to measure prog- of these dependencies should be familiar to experienced ress against a common standard. Monitoring milestones managers at NSOs. In a PAPI census, important decisions also helps to manage risk for parts of an e-census that are with far-reaching implications could be delayed or changes new to NSOs. In the context of the first deployment of an may be requested late in the census process. For example, e-census system, milestones can be used to: the addition of a question or a change in the geographic hierarchy of the country, while not ideal, could be accom- 1. Establish decision points, including features of the final modated so long as questionnaires or maps were not yet system. printed. 2. Discover and document the risks associated with sys- tem changes requested outside of the proper develop- Timeline for E-Censuses ment phase. The transition to e-censuses affects both the order of tasks and how they are dependent on each other. Dependencies Timeline for Paper Census between operational areas and the software/system Timeline development for a (PAPI) census can be a boiler- development team have a stronger effect on overall census plate task. Project management techniques dictate, how- progress. This section explains how to use key milestones ever,the that teams a timeline with the should exper tibese generated to produce from the ati melinethorough and otheras guideposts planning documents to work through is one anof thee-census first s tepstimeline. analysis of the component tasks of a project and informed toward an e-census. These phases can be used during the development of the estimates of the time required to complete those tasks. integrated e-census system: CensusTeams managers comprised should of so ftattemptware developers to produce and a complete, IT specialists/network administrators along with specialists from hierarchicalfield, subj ectroster matt ofe activitiesr, and geography/cartography that captures dependencies areas, must1. beScope: assembl Createed an ad project tasked documentwith developing to describe what along with duration estimates based on previous experi- the system will do and with which resources. timelines for their pieces of the census timeline. Managers should provide information on the major ence or best guesses. methodological and logistical differences between e- and PAPI-censuses.2. Business caseRefer and to therequirements: previous New Develop models and FigureTechnologies 1 shows thein Census traditional Data sequence Collection of STICs operations for more for informati onbusiness on methodologic rules to guideal diffe development.rences and logistical a PAPI census. The left column in Figure 1 shows three requirements. 3. Development: Write code and integrate subsystems. groups of activities that are part of the census lifecycle— populationMilestones and are housing key to prodataject production, management. frame They develop- allow all the4. teamsTesting working and validation: on the censu Debugs pro andjec timprove to measure system in ment,progress and publicity. against a Taskscommon from standard. each activity Monitoring group may milestones alsopreparation help to manage for deployment. risk for parts of an e-census overlap with each other because the operations are not that are new to NSOs. In the context of the first deployment of a n e-census system, milestones can be used to: sequentially interdependent. Within the groups, however, A major milestone occurs at the end of each of these phases, affecting both system developers and all other the major1. Establishoutputs for decision each task points represents, including an features input for of the final system. subsequent tasks. These start-stop dependencies are part teams working on the census. Aligning work streams 2. Discover and document the risks associated with system changes requested outside of the proper development phase. Figure 1. FigureSeque 1:nce Sequence of Operations of operations for for a a PAPI PAPI censusCensus Population and Questionnaire Field Data collection Analysis and Archiving and housing data Planning design operations and processing dissemination storage production Frame Demar- Field map Spatial data Listing development cation production update Concept Management Campaign Publicity development and production implementation Census Day Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Timeline for paper census Timeline development for a (PAPI) census can be a boilerplate task. Project management techniques dictate, however, that a timeline should be generated from a thorough analysis of the component tasks of a project and 2 informed estimates of the time required to complete those tasks. Census managers should attempt to produceU.S. Census a Bureau complete, hierarchical roster of activities that captures dependencies along with duration estimates based on previous experience or best guesses. Figure 1 shows the traditional sequence of operations for a PAPI census. The left column in Figure 1 shows three groups of activities that are part of the census lifecycle—Population and Hous ing Data Production, Frame Development, and Publicity. Tasks from each activity group may overlap with each other because the operations are not sequentially interdependent. Within the groups, however, the major outputs for each task represents an input for subsequent tasks. These start-stop dependencies are part of a traditional PAPI census timeline and the consequences of these dependencies should be familiar to experienced managers at NSOs. In a PAPI census, important decisions with far-reaching implications could be delayed or changes requested late in the census 2 between the system development team and teams working The Census Data Production rows of Figure