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(28th October 2009)

SASPAC Advisory Panel

Welcome!

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Agenda

1. Introduction

1. Notes of previous meeting

1. SASPAC Ownership

1. SASPAC Software Update

2. SASPAC Support Scheme

3. 2011 Census update

4. SASPAC in 2011

5. AOB

6. Date of next meeting

(start @11.00)

(Lunch @ 12.45)

(finish @ 15.00)

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Purpose of the panel:

1. Introduction:

• group of experienced Census/SASPAC users

• existed pre-1991

• oversee and influence the development of the software on behalf its users

• Ensure users’ views inform the development process

• Help promote the software across the existing and potential user communities

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Actions:

2. Notes of previous meeting

• GLA to obtain continuing Mayoral support for SASPAC

• GLA to draft a letter for Chair to send to IDeA re. ownership

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Role of SASPAC’s owner:

3. SASPAC Ownership

• Chair the SASPAC Advisory Panel

• Annual review of SASPAC activity, plans and budgets

• Promote benefits to LA and others

• Open doors to alternative funding streams where necessary

…the GLA will continue to manage and develop the SASPAC initiative in accordance with its user requirements – overseen by the SAP and Sponsor

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• Memorandum of Understanding signed by:

- Tim Allen, Programme Director for Analysis and Research, LGA

- Jeff Jacobs, Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Director, GLA

in June 2009

• Legal transfer from IDeA to LGA

3. SASPAC Ownership

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• v7.50 - March 2005

- 2001 Origin/destination data

- DVD of all 2001 UK Census data

4. SASPAC Software Update

• Since last SAP meeting 4 major releases: v7.50, v8.0, v8.50 and v9.0

• v8.00 - March 2006

- GeoWise Web Publisher (SVG/.NET)

- Specially Commissioned Tables

- new ward bdy data

- updated Mapshore (.shp)

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• v9.00 - Oct 2008

- Quick Start menu

- Improved Excel integration

- InstantAtlas for SASPAC

4. SASPAC Software Update

• v8.50 - March 2008

- 2001 UK data DVDs

• updates - v9.05, Jan 2009, IMD

- v9.06, June 2009, MYE

- Google Maps interface - Google Earth

Export

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4. SASPAC Software Update

• NeSS Data Exchange (NDE)

- NDE released by ONS Dec’08

- public Application Programming Interface (API)

- query/interrogate the NeSS Datastore via machine to machine transfer

- joint development between ONS & CLG (Data Interchange Hub), aimed at Local Information Systems (LIS)

- NDE ‘Lite’ in Feb 2010

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4. SASPAC Software Update

• SASPAC/NDE ‘Proof of Concept’ aims:

- explore & understand new technology

- small step towards a 2011 application (both for us and users)

- provide users with a new facility

- demonstrate that SASPAC is moving with modern technologies

- video produced and shown at 2011 Output Consultations events

- next steps: small-scale user testing

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5. SASPAC Support Scheme Update

• Members:

- peak membership after 2001 Census was over 380 organisations

- organisation-wide user licence: likely to be more

- Users include: local, central and regional gov’t, health sector, academia, Census Offices, private sector

- currently approx. 240 organisations

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5. SASPAC Support Scheme Update

• SASPAC subscription:

- £1350+VAT public sector purchase price

- £600+VAT annual support fee

- consortium arrangements (£300+VAT)

- training (£150+VAT per day), cost recovery basis

• ‘Not for Profit’ initiative

• Development fund built up during periods of high subscription and carried forward for future years

• Model worked well in 2001

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5. SASPAC Support Scheme Update

• Current situation:

- development fund delivered 2001 Census outputs

- provided enhancements throughout the decade

(GUI improvements, IA for SASPAC, Google…etc)

- currently dipping into the development fund

(expenditure> income)

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6. 2011 Census Update

• 2011 Census Outputs:

- COWG/CWSWG

- October consultation events/strategy

- Census Outputs strategy vision

- API/datastore of hypercubes

• Census Officers’ partnership working:

- ‘engage with partners such as SASPAC and Manchester University (Oct’09)’

- agree funding arrangements (Mar’10)

- release ‘beta versions’ of partner front ends (July’10)

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6. 2011 Census Update

• MIMAS Update:

- CAIRD

- INFUSE

• SASPAC/MIMAS partnership working:

- early discussions

- duplication of effort in 2001

- efficiencies in joining forces (services/dev.)

- SASPAC development to consume CAIRD

- may start by collaborating with ONS on beta API front ends in 2010

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7. SASPAC in 2011: User Survey

• Who responded?

- 104 responses (current membership is 240)

• Introduction:

- undertaken in summer 2009

- online survey

- 27 questions to all current and previous members

- 88% LAs, 6% central gov, 5% academia and 2% health

- concentration from London/South East and similar response from other regions, Wales and Scotland

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7. SASPAC in 2011: User Survey

• Use of SASPAC:

- multiple users within organisations

• Technology:

- 84% Windows XP

- 22% operated a thin client, 52% uncertain, 26% did not

- 63% expect a similar computing environment to today in 2011

- 70% of users were accessing SASPAC on a daily or weekly basis at 2001 peak

- most popular tasks: exporting CSV,WKS,XLS files; printing tables/variables; exporting HTML files

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7. SASPAC in 2011: User Survey

• Dislikes:

- lack of metadata output (e.g. KS0010001 instead of ‘All People)

- improve the GUI (not user friendly or intuitive)

- improve error messages/prompts

- complex data storage systems (.SYS)

• Likes:

- data selection and searching tools

- quantity of data

- variety of export facilities

- access to command line syntax

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7. SASPAC in 2011: User Survey

• The future:

- 70% expected SASPAC to meet their needs in 2011

- 28% uncertain (wait to see what free tools Census Offices provide)

- a web-only SASPAC: 43% not concerned, 23% concerned and 34% uncertain

• 2001 support services and licence:

- found all services useful (manual, UGN, helpdesk, e-bulletins, training, website and enhancements)

- screen recording and videos: uncertain- strong support for existing licence model (78% happy)

- good support for similar charge (64% happy, 32% uncertain)

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7. SASPAC in 2011: User Survey

• Future software requirements:

- support for all enhancements suggested

- less demand for GIS and online mapping apps

• Support for 2011 services:

- strong support for existing services in 2011

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Screen recording videos

User conference

Roadshow meetings

Email Bulletins

Software/ Census training

Website (www.saspac.org)

Helpdesk support (phone/ email)

Help manual/ User guidance notes

very useful useful limited use no use don’t know

- support for new services: online blog (63%), forum (61%) and Webinars (37%) would find these useful.

- didn’t want these to be used as a substitute for existing services

- 50% wanted SASPAC to access more data (e.g NeSS/NOMIS/Population projections…etc)

- these can be considered key 2011 software objectives

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7. SASPAC in 2011: initial thoughts

Data Source Portal

SASPACEngineAPI

issues API requests reads API

response

parse datastores data

saves user queries

Services

SASPAC ‘Lite’

SASPAC

Census Training

SoftwareSupport

Forum/blogs

Roadshow/conferences

UGNs

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7. SASPAC in 2011: or potentially…

Data Source Portal

SASPACEngineAPI

issues API requests reads API

response

parse datastores data

saves user queries

Services

SASPAC ‘Lite’

SASPAC

Census Training

SoftwareSupport

Forum/blogs

Roadshow/conferences

UGNs

‘Data rich’ services Central data portal Consistent user interface, training and support

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7. SASPAC in 2011: key dates/next steps

• Next steps 2009/10:

- Nov-Mar: NDE testing and user consultation (NDE-’Lite’?)

- Nov-Mar: explore CAIRD/NOMIS APIs

- Nov-Mar: joint development discussions with ONS/Academics

- GLA tender for SASPAC development services

• Key tasks 2010/11:

- Apr: develop funding plan and start discussions for budget support (LGA/users/Census Offices/Academics)

- July: 1st release of joint prototype front ends

- Oct: 2nd release of prototype front ends

- Jan-Mar release prototype system using 2001 data and beta Census API

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7. SASPAC in 2011: key dates/next steps

• Key tasks 2011/12:

- Apr-July: further user consultation and testing

- Apr-July: develop 2011 marketing plan

- July–Mar: updates and integration of historic datasets

• Key tasks 2012/13:

- Apr-Oct: publicity, marketing events, roadshows

- Apr-Oct: further user consultation and testing

- Oct: release of SASPAC with 1st 2011 outputs

- Feb-onwards expect bulk 2011 outputs to come online

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7. SASPAC in 2011: key dates/next steps

• Project planner:

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8. AOB

• Membership

• Frequency of meetings

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Thank you for your time and support!