Statistics Under Pressure – case studies
Data is key to informing decision-making. However, data is rarely perfect, and decisions must often be made at pace.
When working under pressure, it can be challenging for statisticians and analysts to judge when data, analyses, or other statistical outputs are good enough to inform decisions, and which trade-offs can appropriately be made. These considerations are crucial to ensure that data and statistics that are good enough can be used with confidence, and decisions are not otherwise made in the absence of data.
The Statistics Under Pressure initiative aims to support statisticians to provide the best possible statistics under pressure, including consideration of when and how to make suitable trade-offs. It aims to raise awareness around the need for trade-offs in real-world circumstances, along with the merits and challenges of such an approach.
As the first stage of this initiative, we have developed a series of case studies to illustrate instances in which compromises had to be made to allow data to best inform decision-making. We highlight the trade-offs that had to be balanced, and why these compromises were necessary. We reflect on the impact of making these trade-offs, and the lessons learned.
Developed in collaboration with contacts from across the Government Statistical Service and in academia, our case studies cover a wide range of topics, with examples from the Covid-19 pandemic – and before – to more recent examples, including in health, economics, and public statistics.
We will be publishing our eight case studies over July and August 2024. Explore the case studies below for behind-the-scenes insights into a range of prominent statistical and data projects.