As a fairly frequent user of the Office for National Statistics' (ONS) website I was excited when they announced a new website for the service. In reality, however, the website is worse than the original. It is no longer navigable and any search for data usually results in a head attempting to go through a desk.
I'm not a web designer and thus have no constructive suggestions concerning the navigation of the website. But the new website does come with its own user manual!
In regards to the datasets I have a huge problem. They are not uniform and thus don't make sense, not to me and probably not to anyone else other than the person who created them. I've been advised to use American sites for UK economic data. Good advice, except I require detailed statistics beyond GDP, CPI, RPI, etc. I need the Labour Force Survey and Consumer Trends Survey.
The variables, especially in the Consumer Trends Survey, are jumbled. Seasonally adjusted variables are mixed up with non-seasonally adjusted variables. Sectors are seemingly grouped together until you find financial services lumped with pet food right at the end. When dealing with variables numbering more than 1000 it's frustrating. Nay, it is infuriating!
In regards to time-series, records for some things (according to ONS) begin in 1948. For the majority the data begins in the 1990s. As a past user of historical data I know for a fact that most of the data which supposedly starts in the 1990s actually begins before 1948.
Access to historical data is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain. The Universities who hold the data are becoming more and more tight fisted in who accesses it. As a proponent of open government and transparency, my task of monitoring long term trends is hindered. I cannot, therefore, hold governments to account based on comparative data due to dwindling access. When the coalition government announced that they were opening the data vaults I rejoiced. However, I foresee that they will fail in this because their statistical service is not all that open or easily accessed.
If the government is to pursue its policy of open government it must first overhaul the ONS. Make the website navigable and, for pity's sake, make the datasets uniform.
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