Canada’s 2006 Census Online Experience MSIS 2008 Luxembourg, April 7-9, 2008 Karen Doherty...
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Transcript of Canada’s 2006 Census Online Experience MSIS 2008 Luxembourg, April 7-9, 2008 Karen Doherty...
CanadaCanada’s 2006 Census ’s 2006 Census Online ExperienceOnline Experience
MSIS 2008Luxembourg, April 7-9, 2008
Karen DohertyDirector General Informatics BranchStatistics Canada
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Table of ContentsTable of Contents
• Environmental Overview
• Canadian Census Program
• Preconditions for Online Option
• Census Online Application Features
• Results
• Conclusion
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Canada Overview Canada Overview
• 10M km² and 5½ time zones (8 hours non-stop by plane from St John’s Nfld to Victoria BC)
• Two official languages, many other languages due to multi-cultural nature of the country
• Very low unemployment rate especially in the booming west (Alberta and BC)
• Large tracts of very sparsely populated land
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Population by ProvincePopulation by Province
Population average/km²
Canada=3.5/km² US=31/km²UK=246/km²Canadian urban centres=245/km²
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The Canadian The Canadian Census ProgramCensus Program
• Legal requirement every 5 years
• Census of Population and Census of Agriculture run simultaneously
• Two main form types for Census of Pop:– Short form (8 questions) – 80% of households– Long form (53 questions) – 20% of households
• Protecting confidentiality is paramount
1010
Drivers for ChangeDrivers for Change
• Use of local enumerators raised issues around privacy
• Canada Revenue Agency could no longer perform the data capture (Canadians largely submit their tax returns electronically)
• Harder and harder to hire 22,000 enumerators• Government policy is to offer all services on-line
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New Methodology New Methodology
• Most radical change since 1971• Questionnaires delivered by Canada Post to about 70% of
households• Enumerators delivered the remaining 30%• Returns made by mail or via online option• 98% self enumerators, 2% enumerated by interview• All returns processed in one highly secure data centre• Development of the online option and processing
applications contracted out
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Preconditions for an Preconditions for an Internet Response OptionInternet Response Option
• Well designed collection methodology– Central repository of all households– Good tracking and communications mechanisms
• High level of Internet connectivity
• Public trust in online transactions
• Mature security infrastructure
• Experience with online surveys
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Web Application FeaturesWeb Application Features
• User friendly web application– thin client application (no large download)
– intelligent skip patterns
– soft edits
– save and resume function
• Support for both official languages• Accessibility options for the visually impaired• Support for a large range of browsers
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Security FeaturesSecurity Features
• Specially designed PKI encryption solution delivered by the Canadian Government’s Secure Channel
• Required a standard industry provided Java applet on the workstation PKI
• Research indicated that about 6% of PCs would not have the Java applet pre-loaded
• Login only required that the user enter the 16-digit access code provided on their Census form
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ResultsResults
22% of those who responded prior to non-response follow-up
responded online
18.5% in all responded online
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Online Response PatternOnline Response PatternMay 06 - Planned VS ActualMay 06 - Planned VS Actual
Census DayMay 16, 2006
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Results BreakdownResults Breakdown
• Higher rate of use by larger households:– 5 or more occupants: 26%– 2-4 occupants: 19.5%– 1 occupant: 13.5%
• No difference in response rates between the short and long form respondents
• Over 20% response rate in Alberta, BC, Ontario and the Yukon
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BenefitsBenefits
• Better quality responses– Edit failure rates much lower for online questionnaires
– Item non-response rates:• Short form – Paper forms have 102x higher rate
• Long form – Paper forms have 10x higher rate
• Reduced costs for paper-handling, mail-back postage and follow-up
• Relieves the pressure to find 20,000 increasingly scarce enumerators
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ObservationsObservations
• Need to test the wide range of browsers• Need easy to use online questionnaires• Testing pointed to the need for a special
questionnaire layout for the Help Line operators
• Need strong partnership with network provider (in this case Secure Channel team)
• Need a back up plan
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Lessons LearnedLessons Learned
• Volume testing was harder and took longer than planned
• Little industry expertise in modelling volume testing using PKI
• Needed to monitor and limit access in Census Day – respondents were understanding
• Still work to do to handle the Java applet
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Onwards and UpwardsOnwards and Upwards
• Target for 2006 was 15-20% via InternetTarget for 2011 is 40% via Internet
• New mail out strategy based on results of test groups during 2006 Census and subsequent follow-up:– Majority of households will receive a letter asking them
to respond online
– They will be able to order a paper questionnaire via the Help Line if they can’t or choose not to respond online