The Evolution of Official Statistics in a Changing World

Abstract

As part of the 2020 World Statistics Day, a virtual discussion on the future of federal statistics was held to share ideas and points of view. During the discussion a common message was that as National Statistical Offices modernize, they will have to accept changing the way that they do business and will have to embrace the use of alternative data, emerging fields such as data science, and solid data stewardship practices. Holding the discussion in the middle of a pandemic only highlighted the importance that data and the principles of data stewardship play in everyday life to give decision makers the information required to make informed decisions. Several speakers mentioned that National Statistical Offices are at a crossroads, but that with the right choices and embracing change, the future can be very bright. This article presents some ideas on these choices and what changes can be embraced to ensure that this future is indeed bright. Much has changed since World Statistics Day in terms of the pandemic, but the main messages in the discussion still hold. In fact, with all of the data collected during the pandemic, now is the time for National Statistical Offices to show leadership in combining this data with modern methods to produce official statistics that matter and can help avoid similar situations that have arisen during the pandemic.