ONS has embarked upon a standardised approach to developing its statistical infrastructure. In addition to using internationally developed classifications and frameworks, ONS uses standard definitions for questions and harmonised methodologies. Standardisation of systems has proved more challenging and has taken time to develop. This was explored in the paper 'The Office for National Statistics Statistical Modernisation Programme: What went right? What went wrong?' presented at the Modernising Statistical Production conference in 2009. Hannah Finselbach reviews recent ONS experience in setting up the ONS Design Authority in STS 44. In this presentation, the author reviews the potential of two recent ONS products: CORD (Central ONS Repository for Data) - a time series compilation system; and CASPA (Common Architecture for Statistical Processing and Analysis). The presentation shows how ONS has exploited these systems for wider development in the office, reducing its development costs.

In addition the presentation will show an approach to prioritising ONS outputs. This has enabled it to scale back its statistical activity to meet funding pressures while maintaining its development agenda. This approach has required the office to take a 'zero based' approach to its statistical activity and to define a set as its 'statistical bedrock', which made up an irreducible core. The presentation will also show how the outcomes of the prioritisation exercise were subjected to public consultation.

Keywords: Standardized; Efficiency; Prioritisation

Biography: Stephen Penneck is Director General of the Office for National Statistics, the national statistics institute of the UK. Prior to this he was Director of Methodology at the ONS. He is also the incoming President of the IAOS