RSSeNEWS to be determined...

When the president, David Hand, asked me if I would chair a long term strategy group, my immediate reaction was to ask ‘Why?’ Hasn’t the RSS flourished over the past 175 years without one?

In the 25 years since the sesquicentenary, the Society has gone from publishing journals and organising meetings from a London headquarters with a small staff, holding meetings at a variety of outside venues, to producing a much broader set of publications and programme of activities with a growing focus on external engagement, lovely premises where we can hold our own meetings and a larger permanent staff to support these activities. The governance of the Society has been modernised with a smaller Council. Honorary officers are now appointed to particular portfolios, rather than having the traditional system of honorary secretaries rotating through all areas over a six-year stint. However, change brings intended and unintended consequences, including an exponential increase in potential projects, making it timely to take stock. 

The long term strategy group was tasked to ‘comprehensively review the future strategic position of the RSS and make recommendations to Council’. I was joined by Tim Holt (previous president), Paddy Farrington and John Pullinger (members of Council), Martin Dougherty (executive director); Sarah Simpson (administrative officer for strategy) and an external advisor Helen Moffat (chief executive of the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology). We debated what and who the RSS was for. We learned how other organisations approach strategic and business planning. We used modern management tools previously untouched by the RSS: I was already familiar with ‘SWOT analysis’, but for my continuing professional development I can now claim familiarity with ‘stakeholder power versus interest analysis’ and ‘Porter’s five forces analysis’ ... 

After all that, we ended up with a document that felt surprisingly familiar, bringing together and articulating what had previously been implicit rather than explicit or to be found scattered through other documents. The objects in our Royal Charter gave an excellent basis for five long-term goals: 

1. to foster and encourage the growth, development and application of statistical science in all areas of activity which can benefit from it 

2. to establish, uphold and advance high standards of statistical competence 

3. to foster the production and publication of statistics on aspects of society 

4. to serve the public interest by acting in an advisory, consultative or representative capacity in matters relating to the science of statistics and its application 

5. to promote the public understanding of statistics and the competent use and interpretation of statistics. 

We judged that the Society has been very effective at delivering the first two, adequate at delivering the second two, but possibly less effective in delivering the last. 

For each of the five goals, we proposed top level targets to benchmark projects to direct resources to those central to the Society’s goals. The targets can be found in the 2010 business plan. We found it helpful to write down our operating principles, including our independence and our charitable status. Finally, we proposed a vision statement: ‘Advancing the science and application of statistics, and promoting use and awareness for public benefit’. At their December meeting, following a lively and constructive discussion, Council accepted the report and its recommendations. 

Our Society has just celebrated its 175th anniversary. This was an opportunity for reflection: a time to remember from whence we came, to take an honest look at where we are now and to look forward to what we wish to be. As we move towards our 200th anniversary, I hope the work of the long term strategy group has laid robust foundations for plenty more reasons to celebrate in 2034.