Where We Stand, Where We Want to Be, and How to Get There

Abstract

The data available to us all over the world are multiplying rapidly. Our fixation on these data is increasing accordingly and drives the demand for the collection of more and more granular data.

Companies are increasingly aware that they are sitting on an underestimated treasure of data. But most of it is stored in separate data silos. Therefore, many organisations are making major efforts to integrate data, to link the treasures hidden in the silos and to create a high-quality data world.

This integration requires an order system, that is a classification standard for data, to make things fit together. The international statistics community uses the data standard SDMX (Statistical Data and Metadata Exchange) intensively to define data structures for any kind of phenomena and, based on them, to develop data exchange processes, data collections and data analysis tools. We are convinced that SDMX can form the basis of a comprehensive, orderly and standardised data world in other areas as well.