Behind the Scenes at the Census Bureau: Organizational Changes

[Tamara Cole]

 In lieu of a presentation this morning, here is the latest news about the Census Bureau.

The Census Bureau is changing the way we do our core business, from the start of the survey lifecycle to the end.  Internally we are aiming to create an organization around our surveys that allows us to work better with each other, the public, and our survey sponsors.  It is a different way of thinking about our work, and a different way of managing survey tasks. 

Funding for Census surveys is either appropriated (for example, ACS and the Economic Census) or reimbursable.  Reimbursable funding is typically provided by other Federal agencies (also known as Survey Sponsors).  For example, HUD funds a number of housing surveys conducted by Census.

In 2011, the Director of the Census Bureau formed a team to “transform reimbursables.”  The team evaluated the existing organizational structure surrounding our 27 reimbursable surveys.  They found stovepipe functions, including redundant processes and bureaucratic barriers to innovation, and expensive infrastructure.  In developing the roadmap for the future, they focused managing resources differently with the goal of being ready to assign people as needed to meet the survey goals. 

Organizationally we are in the process of restructuring ourselves.  Survey sponsors asked us to provide a single point of contact that had full responsibility and accountability for each survey.   There are now nine Survey Directors, each assigned to a survey sponsor.  A Survey Director may have multiple surveys that the sponsor funds.  For example, as Housing Survey Director I am responsible for the American Housing Survey, the Rental Housing Finance Survey, and the Survey of Market Absorption.  HUD Fully funds all of these surveys. 

The Survey Director is responsible for the survey success and is the single point of contact for major decisions involving the surveys.   They have full authority for all survey decisions, including budget and releasing deliverables to the sponsor.  The Survey Director leads a Survey Team, whose role is monitor and solve problems while negotiating ongoing work, ensuring that products are delivered, suggesting innovations and improvements.  The team’s focus is on survey oversight and project management.  The Survey Teams are tight, nimble, responsive groups that see the big picture and can proactively respond as needed.

The reality for our sponsors is one of flat or declining budgets, yet their data needs are increasing.  Census aims to be more innovative and proactive to meet sponsor’s needs within budget.  The Survey Director is responsible for implementing cost-related efficiencies and pro-actively managing survey concerns. 

The Census Bureau aims to develop better methodologies and stay current.  We are increasingly using real-time info to improve surveys.  We are also establishing metrics to evaluate the success of the realignment by measuring critical activities (for example, are costs per case going down?)  Internally we will be measuring employee satisfaction under the realignment.  Overall, we expect to see faster decisions and more efficient scheduling and increases in sponsor satisfaction.