Introduction

Analysis, Statistics and Research Branch (ASRB) within the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) is responsible for producing and disseminating a range of Official Statistics and Accredited Official Statistics relating to the Department’s travel, transport and planning functions. Statistics and research published by ASRB are available on the DfI website.

Background

ASRB staff are statisticians within NISRA and work in compliance with the Code of Practice for Statistics. The Code sets out the standards that producers of official statistics are expected to meet to ensure their work serves the public good, as required under Section 10 of the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007. The Code is based on the three core principles of:

Trustworthiness;
Quality; and
Value.

The importance of our user engagement is highlighted through these principles of Trustworthiness (T), Quality (Q) and Value (V).

Trustworthiness

Trustworthiness means that our users can have confidence in us as producers of statistics.

Quality

Maintaining quality involves continuous monitoring, innovation, collaboration, and effective communication with users to ensure statistics are developed, understood and used appropriately.

Value

Producers must put users at the centre of decision making about the statistics, listening and responding to feedback, and be transparent about statistical planning so that the public can have confidence that statistics are relevant and useful.

Standard 8.5 of the Code states:

Publish your public involvement and engagement strategy. Be clear how you engage with users inside and outside of your organisation, as well as other stakeholders with an interest in the statistics such as intermediaries and community groups.

This document outlines our public involvement and engagement strategy.

Our Commitment

ASRB will publish timely, relevant, accurate, clear and accessible statistics in line with the Code of Practice for Statistics. Our commitment to the users of our statistics is:

To publish our statistics in line with the Code of Practice for Statistics;
To publish our statistics on the pre-announced date and time (as per GOV.UK and our statistics release calendar);
To publish statistics which are fit for purpose alongside supporting quality information;
To regularly invite users to supply us with their views and opinions and to act on feedback received;
To respond quickly and accurately to questions and queries from users;
To consult with users on our statistical work plan so that it may reflect their needs;
To investigate and document the needs of users, the use made of our statistics and the decisions they inform;
To take into account the needs of users in planning, producing and publishing our statistics and ensure our outputs meets those needs as far as possible;
To consult with users on major developments and changes to our statistical methodologies, publications or publication processes;
To comply with the ASRB Revisions and Errors Policy;
To manage and respond to user complaints in line with DfI or NISRA complaints procedures, depending on the nature of the complaint; and
To be transparent when we are unable to meet any of these commitments.

Our Users

Our users are mainly from the following groups:

Ministers and policy makers within Government, particularly within the Department for Infrastructure but also across other NI departments;
Other statisticians in the Northern Ireland Statistics & Research Agency and the Office for National Statistics;
Local Government;
Researchers and academics;
Community and voluntary sector;
Private sector;
Political representatives;
Media and commentators; and
Members of the public.

Engaging with our users

We engage with our users in a number of ways:

Regular meetings with internal customers (e.g. policy makers, economists, operational colleagues within DfI);
Biennial meetings with the Analysis, Statistics and Research Steering Group within DfI as part of the formal business planning process;
Themed based/subject matter user group meetings with internal and external users e.g. the Quarterly Planning Statistics meeting, Road Safety Strategy Action Plan meeting, Public Transport Monitoring Group meeting and Travel Survey NI 4 Nations meeting;
Users can be kept up-to-date by joining our email distribution lists for specific statistics and research reports (email: ASRB@nisra.gov.uk);
Users can also stay informed by following the NISRA and/or DfI social media channels;
Users can provide feedback through our ongoing ASRB Branch Survey available on the DfI website and included on all staff email signatures;
More detailed readership surveys are carried out as and when required;
Users can directly contact the relevant statistician as the name and telephone number of the responsible statistician are provided on each statistical release;
Customers can respond to user consultations which are carried out as and when required; such consultations are promoted through online channels including social media, emails to user distribution lists and team briefs.
Media queries should be addressed to the DfI Information (Press) Office.

The overall findings for all ASRB customer surveys and consultations carried out are published on the DfI website. User satisfaction with statistical outputs and service is routinely reviewed and addressed where practicable.

Accessibility

Our statistics will be published in a timely manner and in line with the DfI statement of compliance with the Pre-release Access to Official Statistics Order. In accordance with the Code of Practice for Statistics, ASRB publish a timetable of upcoming statistical releases for twelve months ahead and the exact date at least four weeks prior to the release date where practicable. All statistics are published at 9.30am on the scheduled weekday unless otherwise announced. Once published, users can access our statistical bulletins in html or pdf format (depending on publication) free of charge on the DfI website. Data tables are also made available in MS Excel or open format (Open Document Spreadsheet). Key statistics are published on the NISRA Data Portal which allows users to view and filter the dataset, plot and visualise data on interactive charts, create favourite tables and widgets, share results, access data in multiple formats (CSV, JSON-stat, PX and XLSX) following the Open Data recommendations and automate processes by reading data via API queries. Users can also view quality reports, infographics and summary factsheets where available and can contact ASRB if information is required in an alternative format.

Complaints

ASRB aims to deliver a high quality service. However if, for any reason, the user feels that this service has fallen below the standards they expect they should make contact with the branch so we can investigate and improve the service we provide. Initially you should take up your complaint directly and informally with the person with whom you have been in contact. If you are not satisfied with the initial informal response, you should write to the line manager of the person you have been dealing with setting out your complaint clearly and in detail. Contact details for ASRB are available on the DfI website. If you are still not satisfied with our explanation and your complaint relates to our statistical service, you can write to the Chief Executive of NISRA. For further details see the NISRA procedure for handling complaints on the NISRA website. If more appropriate, customers are also welcome to follow the DfI Complaints Procedure.

Feedback

We welcome feedback from users on our User Engagement Strategy. Please send any comments to ASRB@nisra.gov.uk

Contact Details

For further information contact Regina McGeown or Martin Devlin
Principal Statisticians ASRB ASRB@nisra.gov.uk

ASRB User Engagement Strategy