SJIAOS Discussion Platform

Launch of the 19th discussion: What qualities are needed by statisticians to achieve top leadership positions?

With the release of this issue of the Journal (March 2024), the 19th SJIAOS discussion will be opened. This discussion; ‘What qualities are needed by statisticians to achieve top leadership positions?’ Invites the readers to react with their opinion on the content of the manuscript “Reflections on statistical Leadership: Summary of a panel discussion at the WSC” with contributions from Stephen Penneck, John Bailer, Ed Humpherson, Mariana Kotzeva and Denise Silva The manuscript reports from a panel discussion held at the ISI World Statistics Conference in Ottawa in July 2023. During this session and summarized in the manuscript, five panelists shared their opinions and experiences by responding to five key questions on statistics leadership. A main theme in this discussion in the journal is the need for official statisticians to complement within the frame of ‘statistical leadership’ the basic elements of statistics as a profession (skills, knowledge and a set of values) with elements of leadership (vision and communicating this, getting the right work done and work done better).

The 19th discussion will be opened around mid-March 2024 on the SJIAOS discussion platform (www.officialstatistics.com). The readers are invited to provide their comments on the content of the manuscript.

Several other discussions are still online on the SJIAOS Discussion platform (www.officialstatistics. com)

The 18th discussion (December 2023) was announced with the release of the December 2023 issue. This discussion; ‘Are Data Scientists Going to Replace Statisticians?’ invites readers to react with their opinion on the future ‘job’ profile of those working in/contributing to the production and dissemination of official statistics. The discussion at the recent 9th EMOS. workshop (Praque, 26–27 October 2023), and the reflections in the editorial of this issue, together with the manuscript on ‘Data Science, skills, Data Scientist, Data Scientist job, Data Scientist Salary’, constitute the background for this 18th discussion.

The 18th discussion will be opened around the beginning of February 2024 on the SJIAOS discussion platform (www.officialstatistics.com).

The 16th (June 2023) and 17th (September 2023) discussions are joined. The 16/17th discussion on ‘The impact of AI and the availability of data in the so-called Data ecosystem on the development of official statistics’ invites readers to react with their opinion on how far and in what direction the governance of official statistics will change thanks to these developments. The readers are specifically invited to sketch in a maximum of 500 words how in their opinion the (national) statical offices in 2030 are functioning. The contributors are free to choose an emphasis for the production and dissemination but are equally invited to reflect on the governance structures in official statistics in 2030.

The discussion was opened end of July 2023 on the SJIAOS discussion platform. See: https://officialstati stics.com/news-blog/16-and-17th-discussion-impact-artificial-intelligence-official-statistics.

The 15th discussion ‘Success, failures, challenges and opportunities for official statistics in the development and implementation of the global indicator framework for the Sustainable Development Goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’ was opened at the beginning of May 2023.

The discussion builds on the reflection in the editorial in this March issue. The 15th discussion invites readers to react to the statement that official statistics, following the endorsement of the Cape Town Global Action Plan for Sustainable Development Data at the UNSC in 2017, on the one hand, have greatly benefited in strong support for developing new methodologies and indicators, a renewed governance of the statical system, etc.. Still, on the other hand, official statistics are confronted with unrealistic expectations concerning several other indicators, the impossibility of finding/collecting required data, and their implementation in general and regional coverage.

The leading question to the discussion is ‘Did the challenge of developing the indicators for the Sustainable Development Goals give a boost to Official Statistics or was it a burden?’ Detailed questions will focus on the successes, failures and more specifically the challenges, obstacles and opportunities.

The readers are invited to either react with supporting or disagreeing arguments to this reflection, examples of successes, failures and suggestions on how to tackle challenges.

The discussion can be found at: https://officialstatis tics.com/news-blog/15th-discussion-success-failures-challenges-in-the-SDG-development-and-implementation.

Some background on the SJIAOS discussion platform

In August 2019 the Statistical Journal of the International Association for Official Statistics (SJIAOS) launched an online platform for discussion on topics of significant relevance for official statistics (www.offici alstatistics.com) as part of the SJIAOS website. The discussion platform invites you to contribute to important discussions at a time of your choosing.

The ISI World Statistics Conference, the IAOS conference, and Journals like the Statistical Journal of the IAOS, are the traditional platforms where views on new developments and important issues in Official Statistics are exchanged. However, conferences occur only a few times per year, journal issues are released maybe four times per year, and typically only reach specific interest groups. The online discussion platform of the SJIAOS is an opportunity for anyone working or interested in official statistics, to contribute to topical discussions, at your convenience.

Every three months there is a new discussion item. With each issue of the SJIAOS, a new discussion topic will be launched via a leading article. Statements from this article will then invite you to post your opinions and arguments. Each discussion will run for a year and be closed with a concluding commentary by the article author(s).

The discussion platform can be found on the SJIAOS website (www.officialstatistics.com). Contributions have to be in English, have to be clear and concise, specifically addressing one of the statements, and should not exceed 25 lines. When considered useful, references to a longer text (article, paper) can be added as an attachment. Contributors are required to register on the discussion platform. Anonymous contributions are not appreciated.

The SJIAOS discussion platform editor (Pieter Everaers) moderates the discussions and the quality of the contributions (but of course not on the positions taken), takes decisions on the integrity of the arguments, and is available for support when needed.

Closed discussions

Find below an overview of the ‘closed’ SJIAOS discussions since September 2019. Their statements, background for the statement, and comments can be found at: https://officialstatistics.com/discussion-platform