Product improvement Statistical methods are used to benefit agriculture by designing and analysing experiments to find efficient ways of growing crops. Design engineers use similar techniques to optimise the performance of manufactured products, such as cars or TV sets. Statistical process control is used in many production and service processes to monitor features that contribute to quality. Medical statistics Pharmaceutical companies employ statisticians at every stage of testing a new drug, from basic chemical research, through planning and analysing drug trials with patients to monitoring long-term effects. Statisticians also work in environmental monitoring, for example, analysing water chemistry data.
Computers make information available vast quantities.
Businesses are realising they need statisticians to analyse it. Statisticians work in over 20 Government Departments. They contribute to every area of government activity, providing information and advice to implement and monitor government policy and assess the state of the nation. Their job is about understanding figures and interpreting their message. They may have to explain them to Ministers or hold a press conference to explain them to the media.