Page 264 - Special Topic Session (STS) - Volume 2

STS493 Irene S.

Advanced data collection – An outlook to the
future
Irene Salemink
Statistics Netherlands, Heerlen, The Netherlands

Abstract
The demand from the society for data-driven fact-based information
continues to rise. Technological possibilities and the increase of available and
usable data offers possibilities to produce this fact-based information.
Furthermore, conventional methods, using primary data collection, would
increase the burden to the society and would be too time-consuming and
costly to satisfy that demand. The use of administrative data and sensor data
is a logical step towards the future. Statistical methods, legal frameworks and
technology are being developed to maximize the added value of these data
sources. Consequently, the nature of primary data collection for official
statistics is bound to change. This paper gives an outlook to and a pathway
towards this future of hybrid data collection.

Keywords
Administrative data; Hybrid data collection; Adaptive survey design;
Integration by design; Metadata

1. Introduction
In general, the mission of National Statistical Offices (NSO’s) is seen as
provider of trusted official statistics often based on a mandatory program that
consists of a set of consensus indicators describing economic, social and
demographic phenomena in society. The awareness is growing that often these
phenomena are so complex that using a single indicator or a limited set of
indicators is not providing enough or accurate information anymore. Therefore,
alternative ways are being developed to provide insight in these complex
societal phenomena. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) has formulated this in its
mission as; providing insight in complex societal phenomena by delivering
“actionable intelligence” to enable evidence-based policy and decision-
making. With the objective of continuous quantitative monitoring of
developments and progress with the required aggregation level and timeliness.
The increasing demand from the society for data-driven fact-based
information in combination with the fast evolving technological developments
causes great challenges for statisticians. At the same time they have to deal with
the reality of the ever-increasing difficulties to retrieve statistical data with the
traditional approach based on surveys. As very well illustrated in the essay by

253 | I S I W S C 2 0 1 9