Enabling a Digitally United Kingdom - Umic

46 WORK UNDERTAKEN
Data analysis
At an e-government workshop on 18 June 2004, members of the DIP, the DIP Working Group, and other key
informants (Appendix C) were presented with the ONS evidence and asked to work in groups to analyse it and
to generate a list of actions most likely to encourage internet take-up. Output from the workshop informed the
final recommendations and actions noted in this report.
Data constraints
Data for this analysis was sourced by interrogating the pre-existing ONS dataset created over the past year.
Note that the framework measures DTV and mobile access but does not currently include ‘non-internet’
related use of these technologies, eg use of text messaging on mobiles, red button services on iDTV, etc.
This is not due to limitations of the framework, but rather results from not asking the relevant questions
in quarterly surveys. It should also be noted that ONS data for this study did not differentiate between one-way
and two-way (ie interactive) DTV. The upshot of these limitations is that:
• the framework is conservative as regards the ‘use’ dimension and may currently over-report
the digitally unengaged; but
• the framework is less conservative as regards the ‘access’ dimension. It may slightly over-report
the proportion of people in the moderate access group, who would more likely be positioned
in the low access group because they have one-way DTV.
These limitations have recently been addressed and it is therefore expected that ONS will be able to provide
more detailed analysis for future updates.
Aside from the above limitations, the annual ONS dataset that was available for analysis was robust
and suitable for measurement of internet access and use as outlined in the framework. To achieve
maximum value, the ONS dataset has been extended to include:
• use of iDTV and mobile devices;
• access and use among people with disabilities; and
• benefits realisation.
ONS standards have been applied to the presentation of all data. Where a data point had 50 or fewer matches,
the sample size was too small to receive a statistical treatment.