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How to know this is working and futher support
- You can explain clearly who the statistics are for, what decisions they support and where interpretation risks are most likely to arise
- Your releases include proportionate context, caveats, uncertainty, user-focused explanation and accessible messages developed with communications colleagues before publication
- You keep evidence of key decisions, quality checks, user engagement and learning throughout the production process
- You know who owns monitoring, correction, escalation, external engagement and recording lessons learned after significant releases or incidents
When to contact OSR
Producers can approach OSR for advice at any point, particularly where they identify notable misuse or misinterpretation of statistics. This is especially important where an issue may create material reputational risk to the statistics, the statistical team, statistical teams in other departments, or the integrity of the statistical system more widely.
Where concerns arise about professional independence or wrongful release, follow the relevant GSS guidance about reporting concerns under the Code of Practice for Statistics. Keep a clear record of the issue, the evidence considered, the response taken and any learning for future releases.
Useful resources
Applying the Code
- Code of Practice for Statistics 3.0
- Standards for Official Statistics
- Standards for Public Use of Statistics, Data and Wider Analysis
- Guidance on the Standards for Public Use of Statistics, Data and Wider Analysis
Communicating statistics clearly
- OSR guidance on intelligent transparency
- OSR blog: Don’t ask for trust in statistics. Earn it
- OSR report on analytical leadership: demonstrate transparency and integrity
Responding to misuse or misinformation
- Government Communication Service RESIST 3 Counter-disinformation toolkit
- OSR guidance on ensuring public accountability
- OECD Facts not Fakes: Tackling Disinformation, Strengthening Information Integrity