Workshop on Supporting Standards 2026

The Decision-Making Support System at Local and National Levels (DMSS LL/NL) is a practical use case demonstrating how multi-source statistics can be effectively leveraged to support evidence-based policymaking and governance across different territorial levels. Developed within the framework of the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia (SORS), DMSS combines data from various providers (administrative sources, statistical surveys, and institutional systems) in a harmonized, reusable, and scalable production environment designed to support local and national decision-making.
This contribution presents key lessons learned from the design and implementation of DMSS, with a particular focus on promoting the use of administrative and multiple data sources, as well as on the role of standardized business and IT architectures in improving data management, interoperability, data governance, and information security. The adoption of common standards, unified metadata frameworks, clearly defined governance models, and security by design principles has enabled controlled data access, ensured data confidentiality, and strengthened trust in multi-source statistical production.
A central component of DMSS is the development of user-oriented analytical and visualization solutions that transform complex, multi-source datasets into clear, accessible, and actionable insights for decision-makers. These solutions support consistent interpretation of indicators across territorial levels, enabling monitoring, comparison, and evaluation while respecting governance rules and security constraints.
The paper also discusses how DMSS supports greater organizational flexibility and responsiveness to evolving policy needs and information demands. Flexible and modular system architectures, combined with standardized workflows and reusable components, enable the statistical system to efficiently accommodate new data requirements without compromising quality, security, or governance principles. Practical examples illustrate how methodological standardization and integrated production processes contribute to greater efficiency, continuous improvement, and sustainable modernization of statistical operations, reinforcing the role of official statistics as a reliable foundation for informed policymaking at both national and local levels.