The Committee on National Statistics is hosting a series of workshop sessions to discuss approaches to characterizing and communicating the quality of national statistics and statistical data. The U.S. Federal Statistical System produces statistics and data products that inform decision making at all levels of government as well as for businesses and individuals. In response to the need for data that are closer to real-time than the data produced from traditional government surveys, several federal statistical agencies launched quick-turnaround data collections. Such innovation, including development of preliminary or experimental statistics is a core function of statistical agencies. However, the increasing use of fast response platforms, along with increasing use of non-survey data sources for federal statistics present new challenges for effectively communicating quality profiles for statistical products.

The workshop sessions will bring together representatives from different countries’ National Statistical Offices, data users, and science communication experts to discuss ways of enhancing communications about the quality of national statistics and the data’s fitness for use for different purposes.

Three virtual sessions on: