StatMine is a prototype tool created by Statistics Netherlands to help users better understand and explore official statistics data. It aims to provide more insight than raw numbers by visualizing over 1 billion facts from the StatLine database and allowing users to join and compare tables. Early versions found that visualizing data adds value for users and they want to check data visually before publication. Later versions added the ability to join tables, helping address the problem that information is fragmented across multiple sources. The most recent version prototypes displaying uncertainty intervals to help users better understand limitations in statistical numbers. The full public release is planned for late 2014.

1. StatMine – prototypeStatMine
Exploring official statistics
Martijn Tennekes, Edwin de Jonge, Jan van der Laan & Jessica
Statistics Netherlands (CBS)
Visweek 2013
StatMine, statistical
goldmine
Edwin de Jonge (@edwindjonge)
Jan van der Laan, Jessica Solcer
Statistics Netherlands / CBS
Dutch Information Visualisation Event 2014, June 19, 2014

2. StatMine 0.2
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Statistics Netherlands / CBS
- Creates and publishes official statistics on economics,
demographics, health care and others.
- Since 1899
- Website: www.cbs.nl
- Online DB: http://statline.cbs.nl (since 1997)

3. Why StatMine?
– Online StatLine contains more than one billion (109)
facts
‐ Policy makers
‐ Journalists
‐ Citizens
‐ Enterprises
‐ Economists
‐ Social scientist
‐ Historicians
‐ etc
StatMine 0.2
3

4. StatMine
4
Problem 1
Numbers ≠ Information

5. 1. Numbers ≠ Information
We know from a user study that:
1. Many interesting patterns in StatLine are not spotted by
users
2. Many important topics in StatLine are scattered across
multiple tables
StatMine 0.2
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6. StatMine
6
H1:
Data
analysis
=
Data
insight

7. H1. Data insight
Goal of StatMine 0.1 was to provide more
insight StatLine numbers by
• Presenting these facts visually and
interactively
• We tested this succesfully on 4 “difficult
StatLine tables.
StatMine 0.2
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8. StatMine 0.2
8
Bar chart
- compare
Line chart
- development
Bubble/scatter chart
- correlation
Mosaic chart
- structure

9. an exploration
of
dissemination
data: StatMine
9
Chart type – bar chart

10. StatMine 0.2
10
Small multiples?

11. StatMine 0.2
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12. Demo
an exploration of dissemination data: StatMine 12

13. StatMine 0.1 Results
Tested on 25 users:
Findings:
- Test persons think that visualizing data adds
value (small multiples)
- Data owners look at their data differently
- They want this tool to check their data before
publication.
StatMine 0.2
13

14. StatMine
14
Problem 2:
Fragmented Information

15. 2. Fragmented information
Most information in StatLine is fragmented:
‐ Energy consumption wrt economic growth
‐ Perceived public safety wrt registered crime
– Users currently need to look into multiple tables and
combine the information by hand. Gebruiker moet in
meerdere tabellen kijken en informatie zelf combineren
StatMine 0.2
15

16. StatMine
16
2. Merge data!

17. H2. Table joining
Goal StatMine 0.2: create more insight by:
- Letting users combine tables
- Condition: share at least one column/data
dimension.
- Tested on small set of tables.
StatMine 0.2
17

18. StatMine 0.2 Results
Test persons: 20 internal, 40 external (policy
makers, journalists).
Findings:
- External users enthousiast about visual
possibilities StatMine
- Joining of data fills a user need.
StatMine 0.2
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19. StatMine
19
Problem 3
Statistical numbers are
uncertain

20. H3. Confidence intervals
– Al facts Statistics Netherlands have confidence interval
– European Statistics Code of Practice (12.2):
‐ “sampling and non sampling errors should be
systematically documented”
Goal StatMine 0.3:
Investigate how uncertainty in numbers can be presented
understandable to users.
StatMine
20

21. Restricted to:
‐ How do users interpret CI’s? And what does that affect
the interpretation of facts?
‐ Do users need CI’s?
Assumption:
‐ For test data set of point estimate with CI available
StatMine 0.3
StatMine 0.2
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22. User test (100+) with synthetic data shows that:
‐ CI’s improve validity of user statements (they are
more correct)
User test CI’s
StatMine 0.2
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23. StatMine 0.3
– Prototype StatMine 0.3:
‐ Show uncertainty in Line Charts
‐ Bar Charts
‐ Tested on 25 test persons.
23

24. Line charts with uncertainty
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25. Bar charts with uncertainty
25

26. StatMine 0.4
–Build on CBS open data API
–Will be public
–Currently in beta test, ETA (2014 Q3)
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27. Questions?
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