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Stimulating innovation: The drive to shape the future of statistics

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In today's technological landscape, innovation is key to meet the needs of businesses, organizations and society. Therefore, creating an environment that encourages innovation is essential. Such an environment allows staff to experiment and learn, continuously improve, and accept risks and failures as part of the journey. 

Transforming statistics through innovation 

 

In the statistical world, high-quality statistics and data are essential for making informed decisions in the EU and its Member States, which can benefit society, the economy and the environment. 

To keep up with the rapidly changing data landscape, the European Statistical System (ESS) must innovate. This means maintaining the highest quality standards, improving the speed and detail of our data, and quickly introducing new statistics to the market.

In 2023, the European Statistical System Committee (ESSC) endorsed the ESS Innovation Agenda – a comprehensive innovation plan that aims to:

  • expand the use of digital technologies

  • widen the use of data sources, including new digital sources

  • apply new technologies (e.g. artificial intelligence)

  • pursue more innovative practices

  • create conditions for successful innovation so that they can more quickly anticipate and respond to the challenges ahead.

By adopting cutting-edge solutions, the ESS Innovation Agenda not only shapes the future of official statistics but also meets the evolving needs of users. This approach helps better prepare for future challenges, such as pandemics and other crises. 

To this end, the ESS has recognized the importance of cultivating an environment where innovation is encouraged and supported. In this way, the ESS Innovation Agenda not only enhances individual and organizational growth but ensures that official statistics organizations remain dynamic and forward-thinking.

On this page, you can find five case studies that demonstrate how organizations in the EU Member States and Associated Countries are actively fostering innovation. These examples highlight their dedication to promoting and encouraging innovation, thus aligning with the goals and objectives of the ESS Innovation Agenda.

 

Fostering Innovation culture case studies

 

Norway's blueprint for innovation – Hack4ssb

 

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Hack4ssb is an annual one-week innovation hackathon held by Statistics Norway (SSB) every mid-September.

The hackathon offers employees a unique opportunity to collaborate with colleagues from different departments, fostering a cross-departmental exchange of ideas. 

Designed to encourage innovation, Hack4ssb promotes creativity and collaboration among employees, inspiring them to explore new concepts and approaches with people that they would not regularly have an opportunity to work with.

The participants worked together to develop innovative solutions to digital challenges, leading to more innovative employees and stronger social connections between departments. 

The hackathon also allowed employees to engage with the organisation’s own data better, by using open data. This allowed employees to develop new ideas that would make it easier to understand and find statistics. 

Hack4ssb demonstrated that employees from all areas can contribute to innovation. Having a diverse range of skills and perspectives is advantageous for developing solutions in the future, such as fresh ideas for working processes and tools in statistical processes. The success of Hack4ssb underscores the importance of such events in driving organisational improvement and stimulating a culture of continuous innovation.

Ultimately, Hack4ssb provides employees with the chance to explore and achieve while establishing a culture that promotes innovation, creativity and controlled risk-taking. As such, the annual hackathon event has become a cornerstone of Statistics Norway’s strategy to remain at the forefront of statistical innovation.

If you're interested in learning more about how Statistics Norway (SSB) is stimulating statistical innovation and how it promotes creativity and collaboration among staff, please visit their website here.

 

Promoting innovation culture at CSO Cork, Ireland

 

 

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) is Ireland's National Statistical Institute. Its role is to provide independent statistics about society, economy and the environment, which is freely available to everyone and supports evidence-informed decision making.

At the CSO in Cork, fostering a culture of innovation is a key priority. The Innovation Working Group implemented several initiatives to promote creativity and collaboration among staff. These including the following:

  • Quarterly innovation days and annual innovation week: The events at the innovation days and innovation week provided opportunities for staff to engage in activities and projects that highlight innovative and creative solutions.

  • External guest speakers: Renowned speakers from companies like Amazon and Plastiks, as well as influencers like YouTuber John Nellis, shared their insights and experiences.

  • Engaging graduates and colleagues of all grades: Efforts were made to involve employees at all levels, ensuring a diverse range of perspectives and ideas.

  • Innovation fair: This event showcased both personal and professional innovative projects, celebrating creativity within the organisation.

  • Creative workshops: Activities such as art, crafts and drumming workshops encouraged creative thinking and collaboration.

  • Innovation as a behaviour and mindset: The focus is on pushing comfort zones and identifying new methods to nurture an innovative mindset.

Each year the CSO hosts the NUA Awards Scheme, which aims to:

  • encourage and progress the development of new innovative ideas

  • provide an internal recognition system for innovation among CSO staff.

The CSO actively demonstrates its commitment to fostering a culture of innovation within the ESS. The Innovation Working Group's diverse activities, such as quarterly innovation days, annual innovation week and creative workshops, serve as platforms for staff to engage in innovative projects and collaboration. 

Moreover, the inclusion of external guest speakers and the NUA Awards Scheme further supports and celebrates the development of new ideas. 

The CSO’s efforts collectively create a dynamic and creative environment, reinforcing the ESS's dedication to promoting innovation and excellence in the field of official statistics.

If you're interested in learning more about how CSO promotes and encourages innovation, please visit their website here.

 

Innovation days at Statistics Netherlands (CBS)

 

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In 2023, following the successful innovation week in 2022, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) organised four innovation days. These events were meticulously planned and overseen by a core team working through various subgroups. Initiated by the Improvement of Innovation Climate Working Group (WG VIK), which also managed the financing, the innovation days were subject to a joint evaluation post-event to highlight strengths and areas for improvement.

During the innovation days, participants from different departments came together to collaborate on various projects. These projects aimed to drive organisational improvement and foster a culture of continuous innovation. 

The structured approach ensured that all aspects of the events were well-coordinated, from speaker selection and team composition to logistics and participant engagement. The inclusion of external experts and guest speakers provided valuable insights, enriching the experience and broadening the participants' perspectives. 

These events not only encouraged creativity and teamwork but also helped identify and address potential areas of improvement within the organisation, paving the way for future innovation initiatives.

By following these guidelines, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) successfully organised impactful and engaging innovation days, fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement among staff.

If you're interested in learning more about Statistics Netherlands and how it is innovating statistical processes, please visit their website here.

 

Data Science Academy in Statistics Poland

 

 

The Data Science Academy (ADS) is a capacity-building programme in data science in Statistics Poland, with the goal to increase the use of non-standard data sources in the production of official statistics. To achieve this, ADS aims to:

  • strengthen the cooperation and awareness of actions taken by different units of Statistics Poland,

  • develop competences in data science, through dedicated development programmes including training and mentoring,

  • build a data science community in the organisation through the implementation of joint projects and the exchange of knowledge (currently 32 projects undertaken),

  • hold regular (monthly) online meetings called Data Science Talks.

Data Science Talks present and discuss research work using new data sources, as well as new methods and techniques for data extraction, processing and analysis. The meetings are conducted in an online format and are open to all staff of official statistics in Poland. Their regular part is a presentation of the topic and a discussion afterwards. In addition, efforts are being made to invite speakers from different organisations to the meetings.

The first meeting was held on 1 December 2022, and by the end of 2023, a total of 10 meetings were held, and the same for 2024. The number of participants each time ranged from 150 to 300 people.

Examples of meeting topics: 

  • web scraping in price statistics,

  • use of scanner data in CPI and HICP calculations,

  • mobile data in statistics,

  • statistics based on earth observation,

  • use of synthetic population,

  • use of web mining in detecting innovative companies.

The Data Science Talks are complemented with a monthly newsletter, which includes promotional material and short articles on the events taking place in Statistics Poland.

If you’re interested in learning more about Statistics Poland’s innovative activities, please visit their website here.

 

Eurostat Data Camp

 

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On 22-26 April 2024, Eurostat hosted the Data Camp, which was aimed at Eurostat colleagues from various statistical domains interested in exploring a selected sample of financial transactions data in order to explore the potential of this new data source for official statistics.

Taking place over five days, the Data Camp began with two days of in-person sessions. These sessions featured presentations from Eurostat as well as guest speakers, providing valuable insights into the dataset and instructions on accessing it. 

Participants then had two days to delve into the data, experimenting and exploring them using R or Python to identify meaningful indicators relevant to their domains. They worked collaboratively, sharing their knowledge and techniques to discover valuable insights. They had at their disposal Eurostat data science lab infrastructure.

The final day included a wrap-up session, where participants showcased their findings and discussed any challenges that they encountered. The session provided an excellent opportunity for collaborative learning and the exchange of ideas.

The Data Camp proved to be a dynamic and rewarding experience, offering colleagues the opportunity to gain valuable insights into data and contribute to innovative research within their domains. It also enabled them to develop new skills and approaches that they could apply to their everyday work, ultimately enhancing their professional growth.

Through collaborative efforts and diverse activities, the Data Camp highlighted the importance of continuous learning and experimentation, reinforcing the ESS's dedication to drive innovation and excellence across its statistical domains.

If you're interested in learning more about Eurostat’s latest statistical innovations and how it is stimulating a culture of innovation, please visit the Eurostat website here.

 

Embracing innovation for future statistical production

 

The ESS Innovation Agenda aims to prioritise innovation as a cornerstone of its mission. By fostering an environment that encourages experimentation, learning and collaboration, the ESS Innovation Agenda ensures that statistical organisations remain dynamic and forward-thinking. 

As such, the above case studies highlight how organisations are demonstrating their commitment to foster innovation in official statistics. The goal of driving innovation as a key strategy is to maintain high-quality standards and address the evolving needs of society. 

Therefore, by encouraging and promoting innovation, the ESS Innovation Agenda not only enhances individual and organisational growth but also better prepares for future challenges, reinforcing its dedication to stimulate innovation and excellence in the field of official statistics.

 

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ESS Innovation Agenda dashboard | Eurostat CROS