Best Practices

Best practices for developing statistical classifications

Statistical classifications are a key requirement for the production of reliable, comparable and methodologically sound statistics.

The Expert Group on International Statistical Classifications has included in its work programme the provision of guidelines for best practice in the development, maintenance and implementation of international statistical classifications.

This includes general principles and guidelines used in the creation of international statistical classifications, which in turn become also applicable to the development and maintenance of national classifications.

A first version of such a Best Practice document was produced in 1999 and a new document that updates and complements the previous version that has been produced by the Expert Group.

The Expert Group has also worked on a glossary of classifications terms. A draft has been produced in 2000, but the work was not continued due to the establishment of general glossaries on statistical terms at that time, which also covered the domain of classifications.