6. Draw on analytical standards and expert functions

What:

It is important that there are clear standards (T) for analysis in government and that analysts have the access to the guidance that they need. Accessing the right guidance requires drawing on advice, expertise, and resources, both within departments and beyond.

Two important aspects of draw on analytical standards and expert functions are:

i. Follow and promote professional standards

Having clear guidance helps to ensure that analytical approaches, standards, and techniques follow professional best practice (Q), wherever possible, and comply with established legal and ethical standards (T).

Clear standards also help to ensure efficiency and analytical coherence by drawing on established sources, definitions, and approaches to communicating strengths, limitations, and uncertainty (Q), rather than reinventing the wheel.

A variety of established professional standards (T) set out expectations for undertaking methodologically sound, robust, and assured (Q) analysis across government.

ii. Draw on UK expert functions

The UK has a range of analytical expert and advice functions that support the suitable (Q) and responsible (T) production of analysis across government. They are open to providing support to anyone in government undertaking analytical work both in terms of collaborative projects and bespoke analytical advice.

Crucially, there are opportunities to build links between different professions around shared values, standards, and priorities for analysis, and by drawing on UK expert functions.

How:

Our work presented a range of case studies to demonstrate a selection of established UK analytical standards and expert functions. These include:

Analytical Standards:

• The Analysis Functional Standard: sets expectations for the planning and undertaking of analysis across government to support well-informed decision making; to deliver better outcomes and improve the lives of citizens.
• The Code of Practice for Statistics: Sets the standards that producers of official statistics should commit to, to support public confidence in how statistics are produced and used.
• The Aqua Book: provides guidance on producing quality analysis for government.
• The Magenta Book: Provides guidance on what to consider when designing an evaluation.
• The Green Book: Provides guidance on how to appraise and evaluate policies, projects and programmes.

Expert Functions:

• The Centre for Applied Data Ethics: Provides practical support and thought leadership in the application of data ethics by the research and statistical community.
• No 10. Evidence House: Aims to radically upskill civil servants in data science, software development and AI while delivering innovative solutions to crowdsourced problems.
• The ONS Data Science Campus: a Centre of Excellence with the purpose of applying data science, and building data skills, for the public good across the UK and internationally.
• The Government Data Quality Framework: sets out five principles which act as a guide to help create a strong data quality culture.
• The Regulatory Policy Commission: Provides expert advice on the quality of evidence and analysis used to inform government regulatory proposals.