Preface

How to use this book

This book contains the entire documentation of the migration of the AQUASTAT statistical processes to the Statistical Working System (SWS).

The chapters are organized by modules.

Chapter Description
Ch 1 Provides the AQUASTAT framework and entire overview.
Ch 2 Provides the whole documentation of the management of AQUASTAT questionnaires.
Ch 3 Provides the whole documentation of the module faoswsAquastatExternal.
Ch 4 Provides the whole documentation of the module faoswsAquastatUpdate.
Appendix Describe all code lists, reference tables (datatables) and data sets.

Why to use the SWS

The Statistical Working System (SWS) is a corporate system that supports data collection, processing and validation, metadata management, and quality assessment of FAO’s main statistical domains in line with the Generic Statistical Business Process Model. It has a dual nature – both technological and statistical – and for this reason, is developed by two different teams (the IT Division [CSI] and the Statistics Division [ESS]). The SWS provides an end-to-end solution for inputting and storing raw data, performing automated statistical processes (e.g. imputation, validation, etc.), and producing data that are ready for dissemination. Moreover, the reasons why you should use the SWS are:

  • The SWS improves data quality by centralizing and standardizing the maintenance of data, classification systems, methodologies, and standards.
  • The SWS is cost-efficient in terms of statistical development and functionalities:
    • Technical units can adopt methods and even pieces of codes developed for other units: documentation and scripts are open;
    • Users have direct access to some common datasets, thus removing duplication of efforts;
    • New functionalities reflect the requirements of all users and are available to all users, with economies of scale on IT development.
  • Users have full control of the quality of the data they are producing:
    • Increased use of advanced and semi-automated statistical methods reduce the need for manual interventions and ensure that results are reproducible;
    • Establishment and use of a ‘basic’ set of quality and performance indicators for processes and outputs based on the FAO Statistical Quality Assurance Framework (SQAF);
    • Assessment and publication of quality indicators on a regular basis.
  • The SWS ensures corporate data consistency through the adoption of statistical standards. In particular, the SWS
    • Facilitates the adoption of corporate standard classifications, metadata and code lists through seamless integration with the corporate Reference Data Management system;
    • Reduces the fragmentation and duplication of sources (e.g. population data), thus reducing inconsistencies across technical units;
    • Provides flexible tools for a wide range of data collection processes including web data scraping and questionnaire management, thus reducing the duplication of data collection efforts.
  • The SWS preserves institutional knowledge by recording the history of data revisions, automating methodology and calculations, and providing end users with unambiguous instructions to follow.

Go to the Statistical Working System website (restricted access).

Migration Team

Any migration into the SWS requires the interaction between at least three teams:

  1. The technical unit interested in automating either some or all its analytical processes in the SWS. The technical unit can be treated as client demanding services from the counterparts responsible for the implementation of its data and statistical assets in the SWS. Therefore, a successful AQUASTAT - SWS migration depends on the coordination between the technical division and other parts. In the AQUASTAT - SWS migration framework the technical unit is called AQUASTAT and is represented by:
  • Virginie Gillet Land and Water Officer (NSL)
  • Jippe Hoogeveen Technical Officer (NSL)
  1. The ESS - Methodological Innovation Team (ESS - SWS) responsible for the implementation and documentation of the required statistical processes. From the ESS - SWS team the focal points for AQUASTAT - SWS migration are:
  • Bruno Caetano Vidigal Statistician (ESS)
  • Francy Lisboa Agronomist/Statistician (ESS)
  • Carola Fabi Senior Statistician (ESS)
  1. The CSI - SWS the primary backend and frontend maintainer of the SWS and responsible for the implementation and documentation of non-statistical processes (IT infrastructure). The CSI - SWS team have as interlocutors:
  • Enrico Anello Full Stack Developer (CSI)
  • Matteo Terrinoni Lead Front End Developer (CSI)
  • Rohi Fadlun Full Stack Java Developer (CSI)
  • John Rowell Information Technology Officer (CSI)