About the project
The Czech Statistical Office has been for a long-term working towards changes in the Statistical Information System (SIS) that will support further reduction of administrative burden of respondents while not endangering at the same time the quality and accessibility of statistical information.
The SIS consists of tools and methodologies that are used for data collection and creation of statistical information. Changes to the SIS influence the entire statistical information production process. The process starts with data collection from respondents, transmission of data from other central bodies of state administration, via control of data and their processing. Based on data processing, statistical information is created and the whole process ends by presentation of statistical information.
The project preparatory works were launched already in 2005, namely by a detailed analysis of the state and needs of the statistical system. After a thorough evaluation of needs the two following basic priorities were determined:
- change in the system of data collection from respondents;
- modifications of methodologies, standards, and tools used for creation of statistical information.
These priorities were denominated “redesign” by the team of solvers and gradually the title “Redesign of the Statistical Information System” started to be used, which in the end gave the name to the project.
Although the project itself had not been approved, yet, at that time, the determined priorities already started to be fulfilled in practice. New procedures were made, which for the first time resulted in a reduction of administrative burden of respondents of the CZSO in 2008 already. Surveys, which burdened respondents most were reduced, the number of surveyed data diminished as well as the number of respondents, to whom statistical forms (questionnaires) were sent. One survey designed for small and medium-sized enterprises was even cancelled. It was the P 4-01 survey for almost 28 thousand of entrepreneurs.
To put these savings in figures, the burden calculated according to the SCM international methodology (standard cost model) decreased from 2005 to 2011 by 47.1%. Thus, costs of respondents for filling of statistical forms were only CZK 306.9 million instead of CZK 579.8 million.
