What is IST and how it can help
IST is an platform, aimed for using by all the actors in statistical production. When we say the actors, we think on the main ones: Methodologists, IT staff, Data providers. From methodologist’s point of view, a lot of stuff have to be prepared in order to conduct a successful survey. On them is all the responsibilities for results. But let’s put the methodology itself aside. What is the other thing that is most important, for all the three sides... It is the way of make their every day job simpler.
IST is a fully capable to be a tool for creating frames for various statistical surveys. IST already covers and supports all the statistical surveys in Statistical office of the Republic of Serbia (SORS). It is GSBPM compatible. IST user can use the built-in search engine within, and, by choosing appropriate time point, access to the database and select the data needed. Moreover, user can combine data from various surveys, in order to get desired dataset for further analysis. IST is convenient for data analysis. Its modules provide the data science team with possibility to perform different analysis of data, by having SQL criteria included in its search engine. It is broadly used in SORS by various analyst’s teams. Eventually, dataset can be exported in several file formats, such as EXCEL, CSV, XML, JSON, TXT.
IST involves and provides various data collection modes, CATI, CAPI, CAWI. Methodologists can, according to their needs, and their budget, which is, unfortunately, very important issues these days, select one of the offered data collection modes. IST provides modules for all three types of data collection modes.
IST has very important role in standardized use of statistical units. Since it provides access to database of all the surveys in SORS, and since IST is a warehouse that gather all the data collected by conducting various statistical surveys (including data obtained using administrative sources), all the survey methodologists are focused on just one data lake, from which they can select what they need, according to the survey demands. But everything is here, on just one place. Everything that they need...
But, lets focus on benefits on using IST from the IT staff point of view. They are actually creators of IST. And IST, as unique platform to cover all the needs of efficient statistical production, is their idea. They wanted to build something that will facilitate their job. Methodologists sometimes can be very hard with their demands. The whole idea is, actually, in sharing knowledge, and in gathering all the IT knowledge needed for supporting statistical surveys in one IT platform, that will save they time and that can be easily improved by work of all IT developers. And they did it. They create IT platform based on covering all current user needs. Actually, everything started with they intention to reduce burden on themselves. They wanted to make their lives easier. And they did it. They placed everything in one place.
How do we know that? Because, it is used and developed by the other institutions such as RSIS, MONSTAT, INSTAT, PKS and CA and it already plays the main role in their successful stories. We are focusing on spreading our idea beyond our region and in creating further cooperation with other institution. And it brings us to the other subject: