1. The Generic Activity Model for Statistical Organisations (GAMSO) describes and defines the activities that take place within a typical organisation that produces official statistics. It extends and complements the Generic Statistical Business Process Model (GSBPM) by adding additional activities needed to support statistical production. The GAMSO describes activities – that is, what statistical organisations do – while the GSBPM describes the process – that is, how statistical organisations undertake the activity of statistical production.

2. Like the GSBPM, the GAMSO aims to provide a common vocabulary and framework to support international collaboration activities, particularly in the field of modernisation.  While individual collaboration typically focuses on modernising a particular aspect of production (as described by the GSBPM), statistical production occurs within a broader context of corporate strategies, capabilities and support. The GAMSO helps to place collaboration in the wider context.

3. Some benefits and expected uses of the GAMSO are listed below. They show that the target audience for this model will vary according to use from top management to experts.

Benefits

  • Provide a common vocabulary and framework to support international collaboration activities, particularly in the field of modernisation
  • Provide a basis for resource planning within a statistical organisation
  • Support the development and implementation of enterprise architectures, including components such as capability architectures
  • Support risk management systems

Expected uses

  • As a basis for the measurement of costs of producing official statistics in a way that can be compared between organisations
  • As a tool to measure and communicate the value of statistical modernisation activities across an organisation

Background

4. The GAMSO was first developed in 2015 based on the GSBPM and the Business Activity Model (developed by the Statistical Network 1 ). Following several drafts and consultations, version 1.1 was released in January 2017. The GAMSO was endorsed in June 2017 by the 65th Conference of European Statistics Plenary Session.

Main changes from version 1.1

5. The review of the GAMSO version 1.1 was to update the model to ensure consistency with current version of the GSBPM (version 5.1). There are no changes to the structure of the model in version 1.2, but some minor improvements to the descriptions have been made to enhance consistency and clarity.


  1. In 2014, the members of the Statistical Network were the national statistical organisations in Australia, Canada, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom.