Project Topic

Statistical Table Tracking System and Document Production

Project Background

Approximately once a year a large data set was “frozen” in order to create a stable view of data for use in generating interim reports and statistical analyses. Interim reports consisted of hundreds of tables which were reviewed by two separate organizations on schedules driven by milestone dates usually known six-months to a year in advance. One business need was to ensure that the production, distribution and review of draft versions of the tables could be tracked and managed. A second business need was to ensure control over the revision cycle of these tables. A third business need was to have a means of quickly compiling and printing the final versions of tables in a paginated, annotated, compendium that was to accompany interim reports for review by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Actions Taken

I performed a systems analysis that identified the business needs for this project, designed the relational database in Microsoft Access and set up the table tracking system. I also designed the “look and feel” of the standardized Excel table structures used to report statistical results and managed the editing and production of the final compendium document which accompanied the interim repots sent for U.S. congressional review.

The relational database was constructed using Microsoft Access running on a Novel network It was used to manage the coordination and linkage between several review cycles and the final production of the tables in a WordPerfect document. The table tracking software managed documentation regarding reviewers’ comments, table creation and revision and the location and storage of the software programs that selected, merged and compiled the data for a given table or set of tables.

Results

Accurate sets of statistical tables were integrated and indexed into larger compendium documents produced annually for several years which were on time and within budget. An example of many of the statistical tables and graphs can be found in a HUD report at: http://www.hud.gov/offices/lead/library/misc/NatEval.pdf Note that you will need to use your browser back button to return from this site.