Consumer Exp y enditure Survey

Data Users’ Need Forum

Michael W. Horrigan

Associate Commissione Associate Commissioner

Office of Prices 

and Living Conditions

J 21 2010 June 21, 2010

Outli

 Why redesign the CE

Why redesign the CE

 Th d e CE Redesign Pro The philosophy of CE  What is the goal of th

Forum?

Why redesign the CE? Why redesign the CE?

 Original design of the surveys Original design of the surveys - 1980s Improvements in data collection such as 

CAPI, improvedd f iaryorms

 Response rates a concern  Surveys are burdensome Nature of how members of consuming Nature of how members of consuming

units spend money has changed

 Concerns over underreporting of Concerns over underreporting of

expenditures 3

The CE redesiThe CE redesi

 Management Structu

Management Structu

Executive TeamSteering Committee

Working Groups

 Planned series of 

workshops/forums/paprovide input to the r
The CE redesign process The CE redesign process

 Survey Redesign Panel Survey Redesign Panel Data capture forum AAPOR panel on record use Data users’ forum Household survey producers workshop 5

The CE redesiThe CE redesi

 Methodology worksho

Methodology worksho

 Two ind d epen ent con

survey houses to pro

options

 CNSTAT consensus p

The CE redesign 

philosophy

 FY 2011 CE budget initiative FY 2011 CE budget initiative Marginalh dhk d l changes and thinking outside 

the box

 Needs of the CPI

Cost weightsItem selectionTPOPS

7

The CE re

philoso

 Interview of the futur

Interview of the futur

 Rol f h l 

le of technology in 

 Role of administrative 
The CE redesign 

philosophy

 Cognitive methods to reduce burden Cognitive methods to reduce burden

and improve the quality of the 

estimates

Role of incentivesProxy reportingUse of global questions and matrix 

meth do s

Questionnaire order effects

Structured vs conversational interviewingRecall period 9

What are the g

CE Data UserCE Data User

 Variety of stakeholde

Variety of stakeholde

CPICE program

Other government ag

Policy makersAcademic researchersPrivate business

What are the goals of the 

CE Data Users CE Data Users’ Forum?

 Variety of data analysis needs Variety of data analysis needs

CPI cost weights and item selectionCE anal f d d dd lysis of expenditure trends and data 

quality

N ti l A t National Accounts

Sales tax analysis

Supplemental poverty thresholdsConsumption profiles by income groupMiddle class thresholds

11

What are the g

CE Data UserCE Data User

 Variety of data analys

Variety of data analys

Micro foundations - a

behavior

Macro statistics

 Goals: Listen, docum
What are the goals of the 

CE Data Users CE Data Users’ Forum?

 Goals:

Document and understand the data needs 

of users of CE data of users of CE data

Clearly state the use of CE data by the CPIT h t t t th d i To what extent can the redesign process 

meet the data needs of various user 

groups?

– Tradeoffs– Pareto shifts Pareto shifts

13

What are the g

CE Data UserCE Data User

 Influencing the trade

Influencing the trade

Interview of the futurRol f hl e of technology

Role of administrative 

Cognitive methods

Contact Information

Michael W. Horrigan

Associate Commissioner

Office of Prices and Living Conditions

www.bls.gov

202-691-6960

horrigan.michael@bls.gov