Statistical performance indicators (SPI): Pillar 5 data infrastructure score (scale 0-100)

The SPI overall score is a composite score measuring country performance across five pillars: data use, data services, data products, data sources, and data infrastructure. The new Statistical Performance Indicators (SPI) will replace the Statistical Capacity Index (SCI), which the World Bank has regularly published since 2004. Although the goals are the same, to offer a better tool to measure the statistical systems of countries, the new SPI framework has expanded into new areas including in the areas of data use, administrative data, geospatial data, data services, and data infrastructure. The SPI provides a framework that can help countries measure where they stand in several dimensions and offers an ambitious measurement agenda for the international community.

The data use overall score is a composite score measuring the demand side of the statistical system. The data use pillar is segmented by five types of users: (i) the legislature, (ii) the executive branch, (iii) civil society (including sub-national actors), (iv) academia and (v) international bodies. Each dimension would have associated indicators to measure performance. A mature system would score well across all dimensions whereas a less mature one would have weaker scores along certain dimensions. The gaps would give insights into prioritization among user groups and help answer questions as to why the existing services are not resulting in higher use of national statistics in a particular segment. Currently, the SPI only features indicators for one of the five dimensions of data use, which is data use by international organizations. Indicators on whether statistical systems are providing useful data to their national governments (legislature and executive branches), to civil society, and to academia are absent. Thus the dashboard does not yet assess if national statistical systems are meeting the data needs of a large swathe of users.

The data services pillar overall score is a composite indicator based on four dimensions of data services: (i) the quality of data releases, (ii) the richness and openness of online access, (iii) the effectiveness of advisory and analytical services related to statistics, and (iv) the availability and use of data access services such as secure microdata access. Advisory and analytical services might incorporate elements related to data stewardship services including input to national data strategies, advice on data ethics and calling out misuse of data in accordance with the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics.

The data products overall score is a composite score measuring whether the country is able to produce relevant indicators, primarily related to SDGs. The data products (internal process) pillar is segmented by four topics and organized into (i) social, (ii) economic, (iii) environmental, and (iv) institutional dimensions using the typology of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This approach anchors the national statistical system's performance around the essential data required to support the achievement of the 2030 global goals, and enables comparisons across countries so that a global view can be generated while enabling country specific emphasis to reflect the user needs of that country.

The data sources overall score is a composite measure of whether countries have data available from the following sources: Censuses and surveys, administrative data, geospatial data, and private sector/citizen generated data. The data sources (input) pillar is segmented by four types of sources generated by (i) the statistical office (censuses and surveys), and sources accessed from elsewhere such as (ii) administrative data, (iii) geospatial data, and (iv) private sector data and citizen generated data. The appropriate balance between these source types will vary depending on a country's institutional setting and the maturity of its statistical system. High scores should reflect the extent to which the sources being utilized enable the necessary statistical indicators to be generated. For example, a low score on environment statistics (in the data production pillar) may reflect a lack of use of (and low score for) geospatial data (in the data sources pillar). This type of linkage is inherent in the data cycle approach and can help highlight areas for investment required if country needs are to be met.

B-READY assesses the economy’s business environment by focusing on the regulatory framework and the provision of related public services for firms and markets, as well as the operational efficiency with which they are combined in practice. B-READY’s three pillars—the Regulatory Framework, Public Services, and Operational Efficiency. Public Services refers to both the facilities that governments provide directly or through private firms to support compliance with regulations and the critical institutions and infrastructure that enable business activities. Public services considered by B-READY are limited to the scope of the business environment areas related to the life cycle of the firm.