We are creating robust statistical data, structured with their metadata – original source media through to a robust data quality assured linked dataset using robust standards, for people to make use of the data for modern digital analyses using software tools.
Database diagram of geography types described in the data and the relationships between them
Our statistical archaeology project is usa rcs data focusing initially on digitising seven London Boroughs, starting with Hammersmith and Lewisham, followed by Battersea, Camberwell, Deptford, Fulham and Lambeth.
The ONS has supported two phases of feasibility and process-development work on the project over the past 12 months. Outputs have exceeded expectations, and ONS has requested a more substantial proposal for the comprehensive processing of the all information in the image dataset, which is being developed. All the outputs will be available to all under Open Government License. We eventually hope to enable the linking and search of census aggregate data from 1961 -2011 (and on to 2021!)
With our high success rate so far, we are developing a crowd-sourced correction interface created using the Zooniverse platform, currently being tested, for the remaining 3%. It presents small snippets of images focused on individual, highlighted values to enable rapid corrections which will feed back into the QA process. (Watch this space for more news about our Zooniverse platform.