New Zealand's 2006 Census Online: A Case Study

For the first time, in 2006, the five yearly New Zealand Census was made available for completion and return online. This chapter discusses the grounding of the Online Census project within Statistics New Zealand’s overall strategy for the 2006 census, as well as New Zealand’s e-government goals, its multi-channel strategy, and its Bicultural and Disability strategies. The chapter then outlines how the project was set up, how the teams were established, and their relationship with other aspects of the overall Census project. The chapter describes the details of the Online Census option itself, the distribution of user ids, the construction of the web site and interface design, user support, and how the data was collected. Critical decisions related to estimates of uptake, load demand, and the choice of technology partners are discussed as well as the technology itself. Key factors in the success of the project, such as the identification of potential risks, especially risks associated with key stakeholder groups, and the communications strategy employed are also covered. In conclusion, the final uptake of the Online Census option, post-census evaluation undertaken, and some comparisons with other countries are presented.