This document outlines basic statistical competencies that employees at Statistics Denmark should have in four key areas: dissemination, statistical methods, IT, and international cooperation. For each competency area, it lists the specific competencies that constitute a basic level of knowledge, such as being able to speak clearly about one's work, write correctly, understand statistical concepts, use common IT systems, and have general awareness of international statistical standards. It recommends training courses and materials to help employees achieve these basic competencies. The document emphasizes that managers should take initiative in planning and following up on training, and that developing these competencies should start small-scale and involve key stakeholders to help ensure successful implementation.

1. Basic statistical
Competences in Statistics
Denmark
Nordic meeting, Bergen, August 2013
by Marius Ejby Poulsen, Personalechef

2.  Ensure adequate knowledge among all employees about central
concepts within statistical production
 IT
 Statistical methodology
 Dissemination
 International cooperation
 Specific training within each of the four areas
 Appr. 15 hours
 Supplement to basic knowledge about Statistics Denmark
 Focus on newly employed
 Coherence, identification, employees = ambassadors
 Valuable signal to new employees
 Basis for further development
 Individual employees
 The concept
Background and purpose
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3. Dissemination
Statistics Denmark’s reason for existence is exclusively due to our users. Consequently, it is essential that we present our institution
and our products in a way which is seen as user-friendly and in keeping with the times by our different users. In addition to this, it is
of great importance that Statistics Denmark appears and is seen as one single institution, which implies that we must have some
common guidelines with regard to how we present ourselves and our work. All employees (who has a phone and a DST-mail ) are, in
principle, responsible for being able to disseminate on behalf of Statistics Denmark. In practical terms, this implies that direct contact
with our users will be achieved by those employees, who are responsible for the “first and last link” in the process of production.
Competency Description of basic competencies How can the competencies be achieved?
Oral dissemination Must be able to speak and express oneself
clearly with respect to one’s area of
responsibility – both towards external users and
colleagues at Statistics Denmark.
Recommeded courses: Personal impact,
Effective meetings, Powerpoint
Material: Good language at Statistics Denmark
Writing skills Must be able to write correct and reader-
friendly Danish and be familiar with the
guidelines for good language at Statistics
Denmark.
Recommended courses: Written dissemination,
Punctuation, Spelling course, Word advanced.
Material: Good language at Statistics Denmark
News from Statistics Denmark,
StatBank Denmark and
www.dst.dk
Must be familiar with the basic rules for
publishing and and issuing figures from
Statistics Denmark. Must have general
knowledge of the statistics issued by Statistics
Denmark and the different channels of
dissemination. Must be familiar with News from
Statistics Denmark, StatBank Denmark and the
subject pages on www.dst.dk.
Statistics Denmark’s general dissemination
policy and www.dst.dk. Knowledge of the
intranet pages of the Dissemination Centre and
Information Service.
Course: Introduction to Statistics Denmark
Assist users, including journalists Must be able to exhibit service-mindedness and
assist users who contact Statistics Denmark,
either by direct response – or correct reference.
Must be familiar with the website of Information
Service
Orientation on www.dst.dk and the intranet of
the Dissemination Centre:
Introduction to Statistics Denmark.
Material: Statistics Denmark’s media policy,
Quick guide for employees – Critical cases in
the media
Assist respondents Must be able to exhibit service-mindedness and
assist respondents who contact Statistics
Denmark, either by direct response – or correct
reference.
Course: Introduction to Statistics Denmark
Material: Statistics Denmark’s data supplier
policy
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4. Statistical methods
Statistics Denmark applies a range of methods based on mathematical statistics and specialized software. At the basic level, importance is
attached to introducing the methods and concepts with an excessive use of mathematics and specialized software. The purpose is primarily to
provide a basis for giving a better understanding of our statistics. At basic level, the competencies are adequate in some cases for enabling the
employee to be responsible for performing routine tasks with regard to the production of statistics.
Competency Description of basic competencies How can the competencies be achieved?
Basic concepts for the statistics
production
Knowledge of the various processes involved in the
production of statistics based on either one’s own data
collection or registers, including quality documentation
and selected elements from Quality Assurance Framework
(QAF).
Recommended course: Statistics A
Statistical concepts and analyses Understanding of basic statistical concepts, including
descriptive statistics and the probability concept.
Recommended course: Statistics A
Sample surveys and raising method Knowledge of basic principles for sample-based surveys,
including the concept of statistical uncertainty.
Recommended course: Statistics A
Seasonal adjustment Knowledge of the basis for the use and interpretation of
seasonal adjustment.
Recommended course: Statistics A
Material: Intranet (Organization/Business
statistics/Research and Method) and dst.dk
(www.dst.dk/da/Statistics/documen-
tation/method/seasonal adjustment)
Theory of indexation Knowledge of basic methods for indexation, including the
concept of base year.
Recommended course: Statistics A
Data editing The background of data editing and imputation is
presented, including types of error and how they occur
and methods for identification and correction of errors.
Recommended course: Statistics A
Material: Intranet (Organization/Business
statistics/Research and Method)
Basic registers Understanding of how the Central Population Register,
Central Register of Business Statistics, Register of Building
and Dwelling Statistics are used as basis for the
production of statistics by Statistics Denmark, including
basic knowledge of classifications, documentation and
quality.
Waiting for final decision
National Accounts Knowledge of the definitions applied in the National
Accounts, GDP and how statistics compiled by Statistics
Denmark are included as basis for estimation.
Course: expected to be developed in the last
6 months of 2014
Material: Waiting for final decision
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5. IT
IT is essential to the production of statistics, and consequently a variety of IT systems and tools are involved in the processes of
statistics production. It is necessary to have a general knowledge of the way in which IT functions at Statistics Denmark to achieve
quality and efficiency in our work.
Competency Description of basic competencies How can the competencies be achieved?
IT at Statistics Denmark, Knowledge of the organization of IT at Statistics
Denmark – where to obtain equipment, where to
obtain assistance, how to gain access to data and
tools. Knowledge of IT strategy. Knowledge of which
tools are applied by Statistics Denmark. Basic
knowledge of IT security and data.
Recommended course: IT basic course
Material: Website ”Technology ”on the
intranet
The Office tools Word, Excel,
PowerPoint and Outlook
Basic skills with regard to Word, Excel, Power Point
and Outlook, including knowledge Statistics
Denmark’s standard templates in Word.
Independent study corresponding to the
course Word basic and the courses, if
required: Excel basic, Word advanced
and workshop in PowerPoint
Common systems: XIS, CEMOS,
IBS, PSD, Data module, ESR,
Macro database (all in-house
systems at Statistics Denmark)
Knowledge of common systems applied by Statistics
Denmark for reception of statistical data from
business enterprises, private and from public
authorities.
Recommended course: IT basic course
Documentation: Times (in-
house system), quality
declarations and Danish State
Archives
Knowledge of documentation of statistical data,
including the use of Times4 and deliveries to the
Danish State Archives.
Recommended course: IT basic course
Development of systems Introduction to standardized IT methods and the
general processes applied in developing systems,
including use cases, specification of requirements,
design, programming, test, operation/versioning and
project management
Recommended course: IT basic course
The tools SAS, Oracle, Blaise,
.NET
General knowledge of the data processing tool SAS,
the database tool Oracle and the tools Blaise and .NET
in relation to where they are applied in connection
with the production of statistics at Statistics
Denmark.
Recommended course: IT basic course
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6. International cooperation
One of Statistics Denmark’s main tasks is to contribute to the international cooperation on statistics. As member of the EU, Denmark is subject
to a legally binding cooperation with regard to collection and processing of statistics. In addition to this, Statistics Denmark is actively involved
in the statistical cooperation in the UN, OECD, the Nordic countries, etc. Statistics Denmark’s employees participate in international meetings in
all statistical domains, and the majority of the meetings are held under the auspices of the EU Commission (Eurostat). Among the purposes of
participating in the international cooperation are to strengthen Statistics Denmark’s possibilities of influence and to promote professional
exchange of experience.
Competency Description of basic competencies How can the competencies be achieved?
International statistical sets of rule
and principles
Knowledge of the European Statistics Code of
Practice.
Must be aware that there is a range of existing
international principles and sets of rule in the
statistical domain (e.g. UN Fundamental
Principles, European Statistics).
Course: Introduction to Statistics Denmark
Material: European Statistics Code of Practice.
Look for knowledge relating to the area (keep oneself
informed on the intranet of the Management Office).
The EU system General knowledge of the European cooperation
in the statistical domain, including the European
Statistical Systems (ESS) structure and mode of
function. I.e. general knowledge of Eurostat,
ESSC, and the working-group structure.
Course: Introduction to Statistics Denmark
Other international forums General knowledge of the international
statistical cooperation in, e.g. the UN, OECD and
the Nordic countries.
Course: Introduction to Statistics Denmark
Look for knowledge relating to the area (keep oneself
informed on websites, e.g. the intranet of the
Management Office).
Participation in meetings in
international contexts
Basic knowledge of the circumstance that
employees at Statistics Denmark participate in
international meeting at different levels.
Course: Introduction to Statistics Denmark
International consulting Basic knowledge of the circumstance that
Statistics Denmark’s employees participate in
consulting activities in countries inside and
outside Europe with the purpose of establishing
the capacity in the statistics production of these
countries.
Course: Introduction to Statistics Denmark
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7.  Managers must take the initiative, preferably with
support from HR
 Timely, explicit planning
 Follow up
 The training facilities have to be well-functioning
 The project
 Start in small scale (enable further development)
 Involve key persons
 Get clear acceptance before implementing
 Patience
Experiences
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