Implementing five-year quality strategy in the Istat modernised statistical production system: Achievements and remaining challenges

The Istat modernisation programme was focused on the centralisation of cross-cutting functions like data collection and methodology, the development of the Integrated System of Statistical Registers (ISSR) as the foundation of statistical production, and the exploitation of new data sources. The modernisation made it necessary to update the existing quality assurance system. Consequently, Istat defined a five-year quality strategy in 2020–2021, endorsed by top management. Its implementation is coordinated by the Quality Committee and supported by the Quality Manager. The strategy focuses on quality assessment and is differentiated by statistical process type, having regard to the varying availability of quality assurance tools. A checklist was applied to traditional processes, leading either to an internal conformity label or to improvement actions, and was complemented by an internal audit programme covering three processes per year. For the ISSR, an ad hoc quality framework, based on GSBPM and GSIM metadata standards and specific quality indicators, was developed for documentation and monitoring purposes and is currently being implemented. For statistics based on new data sources, efforts focus on identifying the main quality issues and the assessment methodology. The paper highlights achievements and lessons learned and outlines directions for the next quality strategy.