Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the June issue of the Royal Statistical Society’s newsletter, RSS News. It is reprinted with permission.

Statistics and statisticians are often misunderstood. Many people think statisticians have something to do with numbers, but seem to know little about the positive role data and statistics play in the world around us.

The Royal Statistical Society (RSS) recently interviewed people on the streets of London to get their thoughts about statistics. Comments ranged from “haven’t the foggiest,” “bored,” and “confused” to “you can say what you like with statistics.” Yet, the overall impression was of a public that trusts statisticians, but not the interpretation of statistics. Mistrust was due more to a lack of confidence in those communicating statistics than in the statistics. Many of the people interviewed were interested in improving their understanding of statistics and thought this would improve their trust in data.

Last year, the RSS’s long-term strategy review highlighted the opportunity to do more to meet its charter objective—to promote the public understanding of statistics and the competent use and interpretation of statistics. To achieve this, RSS council mandated a 10-year campaign, called getstats, to create a society in which our lives and choices are enriched by an understanding of statistics. They are confident that, over 10 years, they can lay the foundations for a society in which everyone can read, interpret, and critique data to a level that enables them to be good employees, citizens, and day-to-day consumers of data and statistics.

Why Now (or Never …)?

There is growing and wide active interest in statistics and promoting statistical understanding. The UK government is now making a wealth of public data available through its recently launched data.gov.uk initiative, led by Internet creator Sir Tim Berners-Lee. Google has unveiled its PublicDataExplorer, based on the Trendalyser tools developed by Hans Rosling. Recognition that statistics can and should be celebrated has come with the first World Statistics Day that was held on October 20. Our campaign can help bring these initiatives and many others into a mutually supportive network.

Achieving Our Goals

The getstats vision requires a cultural change so statistics are seen as enriching people’s lives and helping them make choices, rather than something to be feared or mistrusted. An important pillar of the campaign will be supporting value-driven statistics teaching and learning, building understanding of what statistics are and what they can do in other subjects’ contexts—in schools, colleges, the workplace, and lifelong learning. The changes sought cannot be achieved overnight or in isolation, so we will be working closely with existing and new strategic partners to achieve the following:

• Create more awareness of the benefits of statistics and statistical know-how
• Increase the level of statistical knowledge and skills and people’s confidence in using them
• Increase the positive use of statistics in all areas of education, the media, and policymaking, as well as in the choices people make
• Improve attitudes toward the use of statistics, leading to an improved image and perception of the discipline and statisticians wherever they work

Initial Strategy

The campaign strategy is to use targeted projects that move key audiences from awareness to interest to changes in attitude, and then to greater confidence, understanding, and use of statistics. In its first two-year phase, the campaign will focus on raising awareness and interest, aligning with key partners to work in the following areas:

• To seek out sponsors and support for the initiative
• To undertake research to analyze the use of statistics in the school curriculum, review interventions on an international basis, and benchmark statistical understanding
• To work with specialist and local geographical groups and empower them to undertake outreach activities
• To develop Significance [magazine] as a tool to help teach any school discipline in which data and statistics are involved
• To build the RSS’s website into a portal for statistical literacy for the general public and interested specialists, using social media to generate discussion and involvement in the campaign
• To develop further links with the media through an RSS media fellowship, national training coordination, and media awards scheme
• To enhance awards by extending them into other statistical literacy–based categories

Support the Campaign and Get Involved

This is a bold and ambitious campaign to change a culture and, as previously stated, the RSS does not intend to go it alone. Colleagues have already developed a network of partners and are continuing to strengthen this network. The ASA and its members have a lot to offer getstats and are encouraged to share their thoughts about good practice in the development of statistical literacy and recently developed resources that can help build statistical literacy. If you would like to get in touch with the campaign team, send an email to getstats@rss.org.uk or visit their website to register your support and suggest ways to get involved. The team is keen to hear from you.