Copyright 2010, The World Bank Group. All Rights Reserved. Principles and practices of dissemination...

Copyright 2010, The World Bank Group. All Rights Reserved.

Principles and practices of dissemination

Part 2

Dissemination of statistical outputs

Produced in Collaboration between World Bank Institute and the Development Data Group (DECDG)


Importance of standards

• Standards are important to:

• Streamline the production of outputs• Make outputs more easily accessible for users• Ensure a corporate image for the NSO

• Standards include:

• Coordinated definitions and classifications• Standard lay-out• Logo, formats and colors

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Dissemination standards

• The dissemination unit should develop dissemination standards, which must be easy to follow and difficult to ignore

• Standards make life easier, both for the users of statistics and for the subject matter statisticians

• Standards include: • Identical definitions, aggregations and classifications across subject

matter areas and in different media• Lay-out standards for publications and tables

• To facilitate implementation of standards it is recommended that:• The metadata system is always updated and accessible; metadata

stored in ‘private’ systems must be avoided• The staff has adequate tools to access the metadatabase• Standards become part of the corporate culture

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Website

• The NSO website is a cornerstone of the dissemination system

• The website should meet the following criteria:

• It is frequently updated• It has a simple structure• It contains all available basic information• It includes a guide to statistics and metadata• It includes a section ‘About us’ (organization, legislation, history

etc.)• It gives access to a comprehensive database• It offers the possibility for users to be registered

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Mass media - 1

• Mass media are the only practical channel for reaching ordinary citizens

• Mass media are an important channel for reaching politicians

• Exposure in the news media is an excellent marketing tool

• Keywords for dealing with the press are: trustworthiness, professional competence, timeliness, service, insight

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Mass media - 2

• Trustworthiness• Professional competence• Timeliness• Service• Insight

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Press releases

• All new statistics must be released to the media through press releases

• Such press (news) releases must be presented in a uniform manner• News releases must be approved by the subject matter unit, as well

as the press unit• News releases should be selectively distributed according to their

subject matter

• In a few pages, a good balance must be struck between:• Introductory text (written in a way that is more or less directly

usable by journalists)• Graphs, tables and time series• Description of the methodology (if required; at the end, never the

beginning)

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Media contacts

• Inquiries from journalists should be handled by the subject matter unit

• Each employee should be able to assist the media in his/her own professional field

• Each employee must be able to judge when an inquiry should be passed on (vertically or horizontally)

• Management may decide who is allowed to make analytical comments to the press

• Special arrangements must be made to cater for cross-subject inquiries

• Contact with the news media should be reported to the press section

• The press section must act as internal guide and backstop• Even outside office hours, it should be possible – and easy – to get

in touch with staff

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Marketing - 1

• Marketing is about creating awareness of products and services

• Marketing increases the use of statistics

• Marketing must be user-oriented, not product-oriented

• Products must be adapted to user requirements

• Marketing is a professional activity requiring professional staff

• Marketing tools include:• Brochures describing products• Articles in magazines and papers• Advertisements in statistical publications• Internet• Fairs, exhibitions, conferences• Direct mail to target groups

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Marketing - 2

• Marketing as a new activity should start small scale

• Part of marketing is establishing a structured registration of the users, with their preferences and demands, incl. which statistics have been delivered to different users

• Information from the customer database can be used for investigations of user satisfaction, organisation of user group meetings etc.

• Marketing is expensive

• It is important to measure the results, e.g. the number of contacts gained and the number of publication copies sold after a promotion

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Marketing - 3

• Meetings with users can be part of marketing, including: • Press conferences• Short meetings on a specific topic • Courses/seminars on methods, how to retrieve statistics, how to use

statistics, etc.• A short regular Newsletter is another marketing tool• It may contain information about:

• New products and products generally unknown to the public• Products which have been considerably improved• Possibilities to order statistics• Contact persons• Other services (e.g. library)• Meetings or seminars to be conducted by the statistical office• Important changes in the statistical office which can be of interest for the

users

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Pricing - 1

• The public function of NSOs requires that basic statistics are available free of charge for everyone

• However, it is justified to charge for publications

• Some NSOs strive for cost recovery of publications

• Cost recovery is definitely justified when users request:

• Detailed statistics

• Delivery on a non-standard medium

• Delivery within certain time limits

• Resource demanding compilations and analysis

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Pricing - 2

• Decisions have to be made about:• The borderline between free and charged services• Discounts or free services for certain users

• Prices may differ by types of product or service:• Basic information is free of charge, including telephone

enquiries, visits to the library etc. • Prices for standardized products and services may be designed

to cover marginal cost, plus some contribution for development and maintenance costs

• User-specific products and services may cover all costs including overhead

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Pricing - 3

• When NSOs area actively selling products and services, pricing systems must be clear, understandable and logical for the user

• The principles must also be easy to handle for the staff• A clear and simple price structure enables handling of sales routinely,

instead of on a case-by-case basis• Price lists should be available for publications and standardised retrieval

products• Tailor-made services require specific price calculations• This should be made clear to customers before any agreement is made• Most of the price will be based on hours worked• Computer time or other resources will have to be added to the hourly fee• Discounts may be given to specific user groups: the government is often

treated as ‘privileged user’• Libraries, the education sector and resellers normally also get discounts on

publications

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Copyright

• Statistical products should be protected by copyright• The copyright rules must state that it is not allowed to make copies of

publications for redistribution• The customer can use parts of the material in an own publication if it

constitutes a natural part of the work (a quotation)• The customer can use the material to make own significant calculations and

redistribute these• The customer can use material without limitations within its own

organization

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Redistribution and vendors

• Redistribution of material must be agreed in advance in writing• This agreement should include:

• A detailed description of what is allowed to distribute and in which form• To whom the material is redistributed• Economic conditions for redistribution (royalties)• Clause about cancellation of the contract, adjustment of prices

• Standardized contracts should be used, containing: • Agreed contents and form of material to be delivered• Time limits• Price• Conditions for redistribution (copyright rules)• How to settle disputes

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Copyright 2010, The World Bank Group. All Rights Reserved. Principles and practices of dissemination...

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