SDMX Implementation

Overview

As a continuation of RealSoft success stories in implementing different statistical projects, we recently directed our expertise to select the best standards to improve statistical data and metadata exchange mechanisms and processes.
Worldwide, two technical standards for statistical and research data and metadata have recently received much attention; The Statistical Data and Metadata Exchange (SDMX) and Data Documentation Initiative (DDI). The adoption of such standards was relatively slow but has now begun to accelerate according to the benefits achieved by implementing such standards to the statistical process in general.

What is SDMX?

Common standards and guidelines followed by all players not only help to give easy access to statistical data, wherever these data may be and without demanding prior agreement between two partners, but they also facilitate access to metadata that make the data more comparable, more meaningful and generally more usable

The stated aim of SDMX was to develop and use more efficient processes for exchange and sharing of statistical data and metadata among international organisations and their member countries. To achieve this goal, SDMX provides standard formats for data and metadata, together with content guidelines and an IT architecture for exchange of data and metadata

SDMX aims to ensure that metadata always come along with the data, making the information immediately understandable and useful. For this reason, the SDMX standards and guidelines deal with both data and metadata.

How can we help?

Providing a statistical framework that is widely accepted regionally and internationally

Work within best practices in statistical and computer work in terms of standards, models, tools and methods

Strengthening communication with users

Enabling statistical agencies to control the governance of the statistical system at the national level

Providing better access to statistical data, whether to the public, government or the business community in all statistical fields.

Supporting the necessary strategic decision-making about what should be measured and how it is managed.

Enabling data banks to adopt a single access point for each of the data and metadata considering the procedures of data governance.

Standardizing concepts and standards, and providing metadata organized within a defined structure.

Improving the efficiency of collecting and disseminating national data and metadata by its producers without technical intervention through self-service dedicated to statisticians.

Our Experiences

At first, RealSoft applied the SDMX standards gradually through small projects designed to facilitate the automated exchange and processing of data and metadata between small number of organizations, which in deed, build wide experience in how to describe a wide range of different types of data structures, and to map the data into and out of by the different organizations involved in the exchange.
The successful implementation of the previous SDMX projects, proudly was the reason behind the selection of RealSoft to implement the SDMX for the National Statistical Data Bank Program (NSDP), signed with the General Authority for Statistic KSA.