PRISM ' a database for the Pacific

Author : Kim Robertson
Date added : 2003-09-26

Brief Project Background

The Pacific Regional Information System (PRISM) project began when the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) Statistics Programme re-visited and redefined the concept of a regional socio-economic database for its Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs). Several attempts to establish, and maintain, a regional socio economic database by a number of organisations had failed for a number of reasons: end of project funding, databases developed but not updated, incomplete coverage, and so on. In sum, all attempts eventually failed and were not sustainable because, as far as the National Statistics Offices (NSOs) were concerned, these involved responding to a time consuming request for data, with no ‘official’ commitment from Government to ‘force’ the data to be supplied.

Why did organisations keep persisting in attempts to establish such databases? Because, justifiably, there was no centralised ‘official’ statistical information available for the Pacific region. As NSOs did not have centralised statistical output systems the regional, or sub regional, ‘picture’ was not available.

In early 2002 the Statistics Programme, along with the PRISM project donor, the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID), investigated different options which would satisfy the dissemination difficulties of the NSOs while, at the same time, allow for a regional statistical database to be developed with no cost or burden for NSOs. The Statistics Programme had faced reality and abandoned the ‘traditional’ regional database concept where NSOs were sent questionnaires which were then compiled into a database outside of the NSO.

The ‘gestalt shift’ began in 2000 when at the Regional Meeting of Heads of Statistics (RMHS) NSOs requested training and technical assistance from the Statistics Programme to help develop an Internet presence: the final concept was simple - give the NSOs the skills and the tools to develop Internet websites to disseminate statistical information which could then be compiled into a regional database beyond the traditional socio-economic spectrum to also include environment, more detailed health and education statistics, empowerment of women, energy and other sectors. DFID was identified as a potential donor for this concept.

At the same time as this concept was being developed the Millennium Declaration and subsequent Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), targets and statistical indicators emerged. This imposed another data need on already over-burdened national statistical output systems.

In direct consultation with the statistics offices in the region - firstly at a pre-project technical meeting and through ongoing communications the Statistics Programme developed a set of ‘core’ statistical indicators which most if not all NSOs should, or should aim to, be producing on a regular basis within the next two years. A further set of ‘non core’ indicators was defined which it was felt NSOs could then move towards collecting, compiling and disseminating.

This pre-project phase consisted of country visits, discussions with donors and other agencies with a vested interest; culminating in a regional technical meeting in April 2002, at which the regional database concept was redefined by the key stakeholders - the NSOs themselves. A critical feature was that NSOs wanted, and were insistent, that they should be the primary source of official statistics through their own Internet websites. This could be done without compromising revenue from traditional ‘paper’ publications by publishing aggregate level indicators (in those NSOs with pressure to generate revenue). The Statistics Programme - along with other users - could then extract the statistical information and associated meta data from the websites and compile these into a regional database. DFID endorsed the project as a ‘win win’ situation, and funds were committed for PRISM.

The central concept of PRISM is - simply - to give the 20 participating National Statistics Offices (NSOs) in the Pacific Region the skills and the tools to disseminate official statistical information on Internet websites.

This was achieved through the following activities:

The PRISM Developer was recruited and commenced duties in November 2002, tasked with developing the SPC PRISM website, training NSO webmasters and developing the PRISM regional database. In these early stages of project operation, the PRISM Developer worked with the SPC Information Technology and Communications Unit (ITC) which provided the technical expertise to develop the specifications and configuration of the PRISM computer equipment, SQL Server for database development, tape backup library, as well as enhanced Internet connectivity at SPC for rapid dissemination and uploading of information.

At the same time, the PRISM Developer was compiling the materials for the PRISM Internet website training workshops. A series of three two-week sub-regional training workshops for NSO webmasters was conducted in Noumea, New Caledonia (from February through March) where participants were taught how to design, maintain and update websites. During the workshops the main design consideration was to maximise ease of access to statistical information on NSO websites. The SPC ITC Unit provided the co-trainer for the PRISM Internet website design training workshops, with a special session on the maintenance of the PRISM computer equipment. As is standard for SPC Statistics Programme training workshops, at the conclusion participants completed evaluation questionnaires, responses from which were used to modify and improve the subsequent workshops. Overall evaluations were extremely positive. Organising the logistics for the training workshops was a major achievement in itself - with participants coming from countries and territories spread over 30 million square kilometres, more than 98 per cent of which consists of ocean, the vastness of the Pacific region was daunting. The participant from one of our remotest members - Tokelau - had to first travel by boat to neighbouring Samoa before departing by plane for New Caledonia via New Zealand.

The website design training focused on promoting the importance of the PRISM ‘core’ statistical indicators as the key statistical indicators on NSO websites, with statistical indicators for national development priorities and policies having equal importance. These core statistical indicators were developed in consultation with the NSOs in the region, the PRISM Steering Committee, and specialist regional and international agencies; as a result they are directly relevant to most national development priorities and should be available from NSOs in the short to medium term with training and technical assistance. The webmasters were given an Excel workbook which included the layout for the statistical tables and asked to complete as many of the tables as possible, with these tables forming the ‘foundation’ for the statistical information on the websites (also acting as a back up for all statistics on websites and an easily accessible summary of statistics disseminated by each NSO).

Immediately following each training workshop, the NSO webmasters PRISM computer equipment was shipped to the NSOs, so the ‘training’ websites could be finalised and published. The computers were configured with data security in mind, in particular with a dual hard disk array for data recovery, and a key session during the training workshops was what to do if one of the hard disks failed.

The next major project activity (June 2003) was the recruitment of the PRISM Manager - a designated Pacific Islander position - responsible for assisting NSO webmasters to improve and update websites and maintain the SPC PRISM database. This position is a training and development opportunity for the incumbent, who will be a valuable mentor, coach and role model for NSO webmasters. After the PRISM website training workshops, a crucial task for both the Developer and the Manager was to maintain the enthusiasm NSO webmasters had for their task, encouraging them to complete and publish websites and providing help when required.

When NSO webmasters finalised their websites - or had the major structure in place - PRISM assisted them to publish websites with local providers, or through the SPC PRISM website, after PRISM staff completed quality and coverage checks. After these initial quality and coverage checks were completed by PRISM staff, in close communication with webmasters on resolving inconsistencies and errors, PRISM would then distribute the NSO website address through its group email forum.

As NSO websites are finalised, these are incorporated into the SPC PRISM website through developing “Key Stats” summaries for each NSO and mirroring or importing NSO websites hosted locally so that every NSO website is accessible through the central point of the SPC PRISM website. PRISM staff then compare the coverage of the ‘core’ statistical indicators on NSO websites with those recommended by the project, identifying data gaps and recommending training and technical assistance activities to address these gaps from the appropriate technical agencies.

PRISM staff then compile the statistical information on the NSO websites into the SPC PRISM database. Different database platforms and query options were trialled and one selected based on ease of use and minimum response times for standard statistical queries with sorting and search options.

Results

So how is the PRISM project progress being measured and monitored? The design of the project has three main processes for project monitoring and evaluation:

Firstly, the PRSIM Steering Committee, made up of SPC representatives, NSO representatives from the three sub-regions in the Pacific (Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia) and a DFID representative, is responsible for overall project monitoring and evaluation. The Steering Committee first met in January 2003, tasked with finalising the PRISM core and non core indicators, endorsing the roll out of the webmaster training workshops, and deciding that they would perform their project monitoring function through a combination of regular communication and follow up with NSOs based on activities included in the PRISM project monthly progress reports.

Secondly, the Regional Technical Meeting to Review the Progress of PRISM was conducted 11-12 September 2003 (10 months after project activities commenced), where 18 representatives from NSOs in the region reviewed progress made to date and endorsed strategies for future PRISM activities. This Meeting emphatically restated NSO commitment to the PRISM project and the importance of the websites to NSOs, noting the growing number of information requests which are being directed to the NSO websites. The Meeting also recommended that the SPC PRISM database be the official ‘focal point’ for international agencies wanting information on the statistical indicators for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for the region.

Finally, two project reviews are included as standard DFID procedure. The mid term output to purpose review (OPR) and the end of project OPR assess outputs and activities of the project in terms of the timeframe developed in the original project designed. The mid term review was conducted jointly with the Regional Technical Review Meeting and the end of project review will be conducted in March 2004.

Another and somewhat more informal means of project monitoring is the use of the PacPRISM email distribution list; this enables SPC PRISM staff to provide NSOs and other agencies with monthly updates on activities and progress made, share ‘tips and tricks’ with NSO webmasters, and encourage discussion of topical issues such as imputation, trends and archiving .

It is likely that 12 NSO websites will be finalised and published under the PRISM project by December 2003 and the regional database on line (under construction) by January 2004, with DFID funding for the PRISM project ending in March 2004. The Statistics Programme is tasked with obtaining funds to extend the activities of the PRISM Manager beyond DFID funding so that the Statistics Programme can continue to provide assistance to NSO webmasters. However, all of the websites developed under the training workshops have been published through the SPC PRISM website, the rationale being that publishing some statistical information is better than publishing none at all.

To date nine NSO websites have been developed ‘from scratch’ under the PRISM project, and the design of four others has been significantly improved to facilitate access to statistical information. When examining PRISM results it is fitting to examine the progress of each NSO’s website development, where in the following list the ¨ symbol denotes NSO websites developed fully under the PRISM project:
- American Samoa training to improve structure and make updating easier of http://www.amsamoa.com/statistics.htm
- Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands training to improve structure and make updating easier of http://www.commerce.gov.mp/csdhome.htm. Website currently under transition to a new webmaster, with further training and technical assistance being arranged for 2004
- Cook Islands design, development and publication of http://www.mfem.gov.ck/Assets/CISO/Index.htm ¨
- Fiji Islands training to improve structure and make updating easier of http://www.statsfiji.gov.fj
- Federated States of Micronesia design, development and publication of http://www.spc.int/prism/country/fm/stats ¨
- French Polynesia provision of PRISM indicators at http://www.ispf.pf
- Guam training to improve website design and increase access to statistics at http://www.spc.int/prism/country/gu/stats/ (to also be available through the Guam Government website)
- Kiribati design, development and publication of http://www.spc.int/prism/country/ki/stats
- Marshall Islands design, development and publication of http://www.spc.int/prism/country/mh/stats ¨
- Nauru will publish http://www.spc.int/prism/country/nr/stats
- New Caledonia will provide PRISM indicators on their website (under construction)
- Niue design, development and publication of http://www.gov.nu/stats ¨
- Palau publication of http://palaugov.net/stats ¨
- Papua New Guinea publication of http://www.spc.int/prism/country/pg/stats ¨
- Samoa design, development and publication of http://www.spc.int/prism/country/ws/stats
- Solomon Islands design, development and publication of http://www.spc.int/prism/country/sb/stats ¨
- Tokelau publication of http://www.spc.int/prism/country/tk/stats
- Tonga design, development and publication of http://www.spc.int/prism/country/to/stats
- Tuvalu design, development and publication of http://www.spc.int/prism/country/tv/stats ¨
- Vanuatu publication of http://www.spc.int/prism/country/vu/stats ¨
- Wallis and Futuna training to improve structure and make updating easier of http://www.wallis.co.nc/stats

Publishing the NSO websites on the SPC PRISM site has had a significant impact on the number of website hits. At this early stage of development, no major efforts have been made to promote the websites, with the PacPRISM email list as the main means of publicity, and SPC is pleasantly surprised about the increasing traffic through the website, with 4,165 hits and 1,847 page views in January 2003 compared with 28,165 hits and 6,596 page views in August 2003.

As NSO websites are published the SPC PRISM regional database is being constructed, testing different platforms and methods to create the database query pages is completed at http://www.spc.int/prism/prism_dbase.htm, based on earlier development and testing using the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) International Merchandise Trade database (http://www.spc.int/prism/TEST_DB/forsec_trade.asp).

In the six months remaining in the current funding cycle, the PRISM Developer will be finalising the design of the SPC PRISM website, including the regional database, and training the PRISM Manager in the ongoing development and maintenance of these two areas.

Now that the initial ‘start up’ phase is nearing completion, NSOs in the Pacific region are emphatic that the PRISM project should continue and that SPC have an ongoing role in providing training and technical assistance for the dissemination of statistical information using the Internet.

Lessons

The design of the PRISM project meant that the key partners - the National Statistics Offices - were involved from the start in the design and outputs of the project, ensuring their ownership and responsibility for outcomes. Almost all NSOs have readily accepted this role as both project beneficiaries and sponsors. We would advise this dual role of maximising the role of beneficiaries as sponsors, ensuring ownership and commitment to project activities and outcomes.

The two PRISM project staff are well known to staff in NSOs in the region with extensive networks - the PRISM Developer was formerly a Statistics Adviser for five years in the Statistics Programme, and the PRISM Manager as a former senior statistician in the Vanuatu Statistics Office has an extensive network of colleagues through participation in regional meetings and training workshops. Some of the success of the project is because of their skills and experience in the region. We would advise like projects to use ‘local experts’ wherever possible.

The PRISM websites are, relatively speaking, very simple in design and were developed using Microsoft FrontPage. FrontPage was chosen as the software principally for its ease of use. ‘Interactive’ features were discouraged during the training as PRISM and the SPC ITC Unit did not want to get involved with complex problems publishing websites either at SPC or, even more complicated, in the countries and territories. It is planned that more advanced features can be introduced to NSO websites during the ‘second’ phase, when the PRISM Manager will make in-country training and technical assistance visits based on the skills of the NSO webmaster and the facilities offered by the ISP. We would advise similar projects to have the same ‘simplistic’ approach in the initial phase.

To date, only one NSO webmaster has not updated the PRISM training website - far lower than our expectations given the traditionally high staff attrition rates in the relatively small Pacific Island NSOs and the limited staff resources compromising the finalising and updating of websites as a lower priority activity. Both the PRISM Developer and the PRISM Steering Committee were active in consulting with heads of NSOs about webmasters nominated for the website training - having knowledge about the staff of NSOs was valuable during this selection process. The head of the NSO was asked to confirm in each case that the participant selected would be responsible for the ongoing finalisation, updating and publishing of the website.

The PRISM computer equipment was purchased based on the expert advice of the SPC ITC Unit; all PRISM computer equipment has the same hardware and software (fully licensed) configuration. One PRISM PC was damaged in transit to the NSO and the webmaster was able to use the dual hard disk array to recover the data on the PC. These standard PCs make the kind of ‘remote trouble shooting’ assistance that we are asked to do from time to time much easier than if computer equipment had been purchased in-country or in different batches.

To bring the best out in people you have to give your best - both technically (professionally) and - perhaps more importantly - as a coach or mentor. It is the latter which has been the most successful in PRISM by far. When the ‘PRISM Help Desk’ opened to assist webmasters publish their sites, we made it a priority to give this network group all possible assistance while again stressing the importance of the ‘local ownership’ of their websites.

However, the main lesson we have learnt from PRISM is that if you - as an agency - want to set up something like a regional statistical database, you have to make sure that there is something in it for the project partners. In the case of PRISM we were able to assist NSOs to develop and publish Internet websites for their own purposes as well as a means to meeting the general need to establish - and keep up to date - a regional statistical database.

Development Impacts

The Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) is the premier regional technical and development organisation of the Pacific. An international organisation, SPC works in partnership with its members, other organisations and donors to deliver priority work programmes to member countries and territories. Its work programmes aim to develop the technical, professional, scientific, research, planning and management capability of Pacific Island people and directly provide information and advice, to enable them to make informed decisions about their future development and well-being. SPC is the only bilingual (English/French) regional organisation covering all 22 countries and territories of the Pacific.

Internet communication holds great hope for the widely scattered island countries and territories of the Pacific region, by allowing instantaneous communication and information transfer. We may have been the masters of the ocean and canoe travel in our proud voyaging past, but we are certainly not averse to adopting new ways of communicating when they can help us share information. Since its inception in early 2003, PRISM’s website has seen constant growth and improvement. We are very much aware of the potential benefits of this technology, which we use to keep in touch with our stakeholders in real time. Through it, we can provide up-to-date information on the region - provided by the region, including a coherent set of up to date statistical indicators, as well as country specific indicators for specific development priorities, and on what our programmes are doing to respond to the changing needs of the Pacific region.

As a specific example, when speaking at the Regional Meeting of Heads of Statistics in Noumea, the Government Statistician from the Cook Islands expressed delight with the progress of the PRISM project. Publishing statistical information on the Cook Islands Statistics Office website has reduced delays in waiting for paper publications, with statistics available as soon as finalised by staff, in a format which is more effective for a far wider range of users (Excel) - staff consequently spend less time responding to requests for information, and national and regional users are better informed and so are better equipped for planning and decision making. Many of the Pacific Island countries and territories are now enjoying the same benefits, and will continue to do so as PRISM is maintained and developed further in the years ahead.

Project Information

Organisation : Statistics Programme, Secretariat of the Pacific Community
URL : http://www.spc.int/prism
Total budget in US$ : USD 650,000 (actual GBP 403,900; including pre-project GBP 434,000 - project design)
Country of activity: New Caledonia [NC]

Are there any partners involved : National Statistics Offices
SPC Population Demography Programme
Other SPC Programmes
The Pacific Financial Technical Assistance Centre (PFTAC)

What is partners role?: National Statistics Offices (NSOs) in the region are the main project partners as both the project beneficiaries in terms of the training and technical assistance provided as well as project sponsors in their role as the providers of official statistical information.

SPC Population Demography Programme supports the PRISM project through the provision of specialist statistics - again sourced from NSOs - for key social and demographic indicators (http://www.spc.int/demog).

Other SPC Programmes (Community Health, Marine Resources, Land Resources, other programmes in the Social Resources Division) provide specialist statistics provided by SPC member PICTs to be included in the regional database or made available on the SPC PRISM website (various links through http://www.spc.int).

The Pacific Financial Technical Assistance Centre (PFTAC) supports PRISM through financial support for training

Contact Information

Kim Robertson
KimR@spc.int
BP D5 , 98848, Noumea, New Caledonia
+687-260000

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