Introduction

Following the management and processing of census data, analysis, developing census products, their dissemination and archiving is inherent.

“A census is not complete until the information collected is made available to users in a form suited to their needs.” United Nations Statistics Division (2017), Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses(UN P&R),Rev 4, p. 214; para. 3.313.

This chapter focuses on census data analysis, developing census products, their communication, dissemination and archiving.

Census data is massive and can generate a wide range of statistical products. The development of census dissemination products is a process typically led by the National Statistics Office (NSO) and production of census products is part of the census process. Some of the products include: published tabulations based on preliminary or final census results; specialised or customised products requested by users such as tables from the NSO database or self-generated by users; general interest or special-interest group products; thematic statistical or analytical reports; methodological reports; administrative reports; census geographical reports including codes and classifications; databases, including microdata and table-oriented databases; Metadata and Post-Enumeration Survey Report; and special audience products which may include: policy briefs, summary reports, thematic and analytical reports, key findings reports, fact sheets, posters, brochures and flyers, basic reports, detailed tables and spreadsheets, articles, video and social media products.

Communication of the census results to the various stakeholders in the right format and time is key. In the 2020 round, several dissemination platforms were used by countries such as social media via Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter etc.; interactive databases; open access free download facility; geography products like map books, ATLAS; interactive maps like web feature service and web map service; e-government; mobile phone technology (SMS). Other dissemination channels that can be considered include:

• Newspaper - print and online publications, straight news articles, editorials, opinion pieces, or lifestyle features, can cover issues in depth including graphs, charts etc.

• Press releases - designed to provide information to the media about a data release or a new data product.

• Television and radio - coverage of news, current affairs, talk shows, or as part of regular programming, can be live coverage or pre-recorded, wide reach, can be in local language, radio has the advantage of low cost.

• Web dissemination - the internet facilitates faster and wider dissemination of census data at relatively low cost, online platforms-website of NSO, social media, blogs. The NSO web page and electronic data products should maintain the same look and feel as other dissemination materials. All printed census products should also be available on the NSO website to ensure standardised outputs.

• Online data access- can be either static or interactive platforms like CensusInfo visualisation.

• Other dissemination approaches – such as public dissemination/launch events – invite NSO leadership (including local level), government leaders (including local governments), community leaders, other key stakeholders. Publications, Excel tables, other electronic products like USBs, DVDs which include publications. Dissemination workshops/ training at national and sub-national levels. Workshops on thematic areas (e.g., disability, labor force, gender, etc.).

Other Population dissemination platforms include:

• IPUMS\ - which provides census and survey data from around the world integrated across time and space. Its integration and documentation make it easy to study change, conduct comparative research, merge information across data types, and analyse individuals within family and community contexts. The data and services are available free of charge. The application was developed by the University of Minnesota.

• REDATAM (Retrieval of DATa for small Areas by Microcomputer) - for files of microdata and user-defined outputs. It is statistical software for microdata processing of population and household censuses, surveys, and vital statistics. It was developed by the CELADE Population and Development Division of ECLAC United Nations. It is distributed free of charge. It has elements that make it a powerful tool, for instance it allows the processing, analysis, and dissemination of data.

• National Portals - Various portals are also developed at the national level for dissemination of census products. For instance, Esri has been engaged with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on the Population Data Platform (PDP), COVID-19 Hub and overall use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to expand and support UNFPA missions. Additionally, Esri has also been engaged in working directly with countries aiding in the work of integration of statistical and geospatial information and modernisation with GIS.

• Data for Action: Population Data Portal: it includes a geospatial dimension with highest quality GIS attributes. It combines population data with development indicators to map and Leave No One Behind (LNOB). It also combines population data with service locations to evaluate coverage of service delivery.

After implementation of all census processes, several items are archived for future reference and use. These include archiving of non-statistical data, statistical data, and various materials. Statistical data to be archived includes individual records. The goal of implementing good archiving practices is to keep individual census records safe and available for future use by the government, researchers, and the various census stakeholders.

In this chapter we discuss data analysis, developing census products, their dissemination and archiving in a digital census.

Comparison of analysis, products, dissemination and archiving in the non-digital versus digital census era

The move away from paper-based methods has introduced a paradigm shift in how census data is processed, analysed, and disseminated. This has paved the way for more timely and comprehensive insights into population dynamics. The transition to digital censuses across Africa is revolutionising not just data collection, but also the depth, speed, and scope of data analysis.

With digital census, geospatial and related products are now possible since Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates for the households are picked. It is possible to estimate proximity of essential services to the population among other geospatial analysis.

Technology and digital gadgets become obsolete at a higher rate compared to paper which may result in loss of census information sooner than expected. Therefore, in a digital census both electronic and non-electronic materials require to be archived.

Considerations for data analysis, products, dissemination and archiving in a digital census

Analysing population census data is a high stakes endeavor especially when accuracy, policy relevance, and public trust are on the line. Some key considerations to guide a robust and insightful analysis include:

• Data quality assessment for coverage errors to identify undercounts or overcounts and content errors to evaluate inconsistencies or misreporting in key variables such as age, sex, or occupation. Check for demographic consistency.

• Ethical and legal considerations to uphold data privacy and confidentiality standards, in data disaggregation by sensitive characteristics, and ensure compliance with national and international statistical standards.

• A detailed tabulation plan and desired report structure. Detailed guidance on tabulation, see the UN P&R, Rev 4, para. 3.297 to 3.301.

Census products should be developed based on an agreed communication and publicity plan which clearly defines the audience based on various stakeholder groups. Stakeholder segmentation improves understanding and utilisation as they respond to their needs. See Advocasy, Publicity and Resource Mobilisation. The following considerations should be made when developing census products:

• Before producing census dissemination products, NSOs must identify what products are appropriate and need to be generated to meet the stakeholder needs. This is determined through stakeholder engagements at the planning stage.

• Census dissemination products should be developed and tailored for various stakeholder groups as stakeholder segmentation improves understanding and utilisation of the developed products. 

• Partnership with national/international stakeholders is a common practice in the production of census products. There are various operational modalities for producing census products. There is no one-size-fits-all approach.

• When developing census products, the following checklist should be taken into consideration:

  • Functionality – it does what users need it to do.

  • Usability – is easy for people to access and use.

  • Reusable – design is reusable, people can reuse the product.

  • Helpful features – should solve users’ problems.

  • Findable – clear product name or title, matches what users will use as search terms online;

  • Look and feel – no clutter, consistent language, and looks professional.

The following considerations should be made for effective dissemination:

• It is a pre requisite to develop a census dissemination strategic document that should include: (1) products to be developed, (2) the media of dissemination, (3) metadata to aid in the interpretation of the results, (4) confidentiality and privacy measures, (5) assessment of the required technologies to meet user needs, (6) dissemination policy, (7) quality assurance in terms of accuracy and timeliness, (8) required financial and human resources.

• Prioritise digital visualisation of the census data because it helps to give a fast overview or summary of a dataset; it communicates memorable and important stories in a dataset; it reveals insights that would otherwise be hidden. Use dashboards, infographics among other digital tools.

• It is desirable to use simple, non-technical language, clear and concise headings and sub-headings, short sentences of no more than 25 words, compact paragraphs of no more than four sentences, bullet points to make text easier to read, frontloaded text with the most important information first and charts where appropriate to illustrate text.

• The choice of topics for dissemination and their detail depends on the census questionnaire content. Consultations with users are important when determining the questionnaire design. See Enumeration, Instruments, Applications and Tools . The consultations should include planned tabulations and other outputs and the development of the census database. Census topics should meet the requirements of users, considering cost-effectiveness, human resources, time availability and respondent burden. For detailed guidance on dissemination, see the UN P&R, Rev 4, para. 3.310 to 3.334.

The following considerations should be made for efficient archiving of a digital census:

• Detailed guidance on the process of archiving individual census records should be included in the census legislation and should be in accordance with the country’s laws on archiving official government documents and information. These provisions provide the legal basis for maintaining the archives and procedures related to the release of official government records archived.

• A clear archiving strategy should be put in place to guide the process. The archiving plan should ensure that the process prolongs the usable life of archived records by preventing the loss of informational content.

• Census offices should determine the materials and products to archive in time and put plans in place for the archiving process.

• In the case of digital records, the accompanying documentation is an indispensable part of the archiving process because several variables in the digital record are presented as codes. It is necessary to archive all the codebooks and all the other documentation, such as the data collection instrument, that are needed for fully unlocking the value of each of the variables in the record. Ensure systematic cataloguing and dissemination.

• The duration of the retention of various documents should be well thought out in time. The archiving period should be specified for all digital data, supporting software or algorithms, and documentation to ensure that a service can be offered to users in the future.

• The records should be stored using media with long-term stability and access to these media is carefully controlled.

• Beforearchiving individual records, care must be taken to ensure confidentiality and privacy of the respondents through anonymisation. Detailed guidance on archiving individual records, see the UN P&R, Rev 4, para. 3.581 to 3.585.

• NSOs should put in place proper technological infrastructure for the various components of microdata archiving including the IT culture and facilities of the country and the census agency.

• Additionally, the organisational policies should be considered such as:

  • Storage management policies for both paper and digital records.

  • Management access control policy to maintain confidentiality through format and documentation standards.

  • Emergency preparedness policies to limit damage from natural disasters or other emergencies.

  • Disaster recovery policies provide mechanisms for duplicating digital content and storing it in separate physical facilities (with regular back-ups).

  • Security policies to prevent accidental or malicious loss.

For detailed guidance on archiving, see the UN P&R, Rev 4, para. 3.581 to 3.594