Posted by Angele Storey – Fri, 22/02/2008 - 16:45
Welcome. We hope you will use this blog to discuss output issues raised in the survey with other census users and with ourselves. It will be interesting to learn more about users’ priorities and how these might differ.
We will be introducing themes related to areas of questioning in the survey on the blog throughout the consultation period. As well as using the blog to expand on your responses to the survey you can also raise other output issues and ideas you think are important but at this stage the focus needs to be on high level issues rather than detail such as possible table content. We can’t promise to meet all user expectations but we want your views to inform the development of our overall output strategy and help us to prioritise and target our resources.
The blog is open to everyone who is interested in and uses census data from the casual to the experienced user and from across the different census communities. We look forward to hearing your views over the coming 12 weeks formal consultation period and beyond.
Comments
Access to census data
Posted by Steven Smyrl (not verified) – Mon, 28/04/2008 - 13:04
As a professional genealogist I would like to see some differentiation between types and grades of census data. While census returns per se should remain secret for 100 years, a few basic facts about each person should be placed within the public domain after, say, only 75 years. The type of information I refer to would be nothing more than name, date & place of birth & home address. This would be workable if the census returns were produced so that these few, basic facts were collected on a page quite separate from other more sensitive data. Given that adults returned in the 2011 census would be aged in their mid-90s and above, it really cannot be argued that the data I refer to would be particularly sensitive by 2086! And in fact, almost all of those enumerated in 2011 will be deceased by 2086. I know that the collection of census data depends upon the ability to guarantee and be seen to guarantee confidentiality so as to obtain the fullest possible public participation, but if this was presented in the right way, especially given the huge interest in genealogy, I doubt there would be any adverse effect.
PDF version
Posted by John (not verified) – Fri, 29/02/2008 - 15:45
The problem with using SurveyMonkey is that it is difficult to get a printout of the whole survey to discuss with colleagues. Any chance of a PDF version for these purposes?
PDF version
Posted by Craig Smith – Mon, 03/03/2008 - 13:09
We now have a PDF version of the survey available, to receive this email census.outputs@ons.gsi.gov.uk and we will send one out to you.
The PDF version is only for you to look at, we will not accept completed paper copies of the survey, only those completed through survey monkey.
Demographics
Posted by Mark Prosser (not verified) – Tue, 26/02/2008 - 16:35
Thank you very much for the consultation
I was happy to engage with it
However
I was disappointed to note that there was very little consultation over the content of the Census. Yes, the general themes were there but I wish to engage with a consultation that enables me to express more specific technical faults of the previous Census.
For example, the previous Census categories on Ethnicity were flawed as they do not enable us to identify people from Eastern European ethnic backgrounds.
Because of issues such as this, there is reasonable cause to think that population projections based upon data within the Census 2001 are incorrect for Leicester.
I would welcome any consultation that explores the techincal details and specifics included within the census
Thanks
Demographics
Posted by Angele Storey – Thu, 28/02/2008 - 10:54
Thank you for taking the time to contribute to the blog. Your comments have been noted but largely fall outside the scope of the current consultation which is focussing on higher level output requirements such as access to, and dissemination of, the data rather than the content of Census questions or the detailed content of census outputs. However your concerns have been passed to those in the Office responsible for design of the Census form. There have been previous consultations on topics and questions for inclusion in the 2011 Census form, including a consultation specifically on ethnicity which took place between December 2006 and March 2007. Details and reports of previous consultations are available at
www.statistics.gov.uk/census/2011Census/Consultations/ethnicldentconsult...
We will be consulting on the detailed content of the outputs at a later stage in the output consultation process and look forward to hearing from you again at that time.
output geographies and timing of release
Posted by John Reehill (not verified) – Tue, 26/02/2008 - 14:26
Local authorities need 2011 census output as soon as possible after Census day. Effective local service planning relies heavily on up-to-date evidence. I know the data needs to be checked and validated, but there can be little justification for releasing data more than one year after the Census. I still can't believe how long it took to release all of the 2001 Census data. Any phased release programme needs to ensure that the 2011 equivalent of CAS (Output Area) and Standard Tables (SOA) and the SWS/SMS flows are released within one year of the Census.
Also, I understand the rationale behind OAs and SOAs, but local authorities and elected members continue to require Census data for electoral wards. If wards are not seen as standard output areas by ONS, local authorities will continue to manufacture data for wards based on the standard output areas available. This is messy and time consuming.
Lastly - disclosure control. Again, I understand the need for some form of control, but the 2001 controls are totally over the top, rendering OA level migration and travel to work flows almost useless. Let's be sensible about this. Disclosure control that completely destroys the value of the data isn't worth having.
Website
Posted by Anthea (not verified) – Mon, 25/02/2008 - 15:52
It was a bit annoying to end the questionnaire with an advertisement for Survey Monkey!
And why are there two feedback questionnaires?
Website
Posted by Craig Smith – Tue, 26/02/2008 - 07:57
The 2011 Output Consultation survey was created and is hosted on Survey Monkey, an unavoidable consequence of this is that Survey Monkey puts an advertisement for the site at the end of the survey.
As for the two feedback questionnaires, these are produced by the Hansard Society, who has assisted the UK Census Offices in building the 2011 Census Output Consultation site for their Digital Dialogues study into eGovernment and its wider uses. The first survey is for users coming to the site for the first time to help the Hansard Society gauge the level of internet experience, whilst the second survey is for users to fill out after the initial 12 week pilot.
Census
Posted by Richard Oliver (not verified) – Mon, 25/02/2008 - 15:28
I am a Family History Researcher so much of the questionnaire does not apply, at least until it is generally released in about 100 years time!
I have answered as best I can but I think a simplified General Public questionnaire would be a useful alternative, which would allow members of the public to post preferences etc on their perception of what they would like to find in the future.
It is always good to be consulted though!
Richard
Output Consultation
Posted by Jennifer Boag (not verified) – Mon, 25/02/2008 - 14:43
I came across the questionnaire by accident this morning when hunting for something else. Should be a useful exercise so long as proper weight is given to the needs and views of different users.
Are you planning to consult later on the layout of standard tables - assuming there are some? That would be useful so long as it doesn't go through all the versions we went through for 2001.
I was also wondering if there was any way of consulting more casual users - whom we would want to encourage to use the Census - via the websites like NESS when they use it - an exit questionnaire maybe? The questionnaire I answered this morning was quite long and not really suitable, I think, for more casual users.
Anyway, good luck with the consultation
Output Consultation
Posted by Angele Storey – Tue, 26/02/2008 - 14:39
We are collecting background information from survey respondents (including whether responses are individual or multiple) that will enable us to distinguish between, and give due consideration to, the views and priorities of users from different communities.
We will be consulting on table content, layout etc at a later stage in the output consultation process. We have not yet decided on the form of that consultation but are open to suggestions.
Thank you for your good wishes