QA Activities for the Census 2000 Printing Operations

• Activity Number: 100
• Type: Topic Contributed
• Date/Time: Monday, August 12, 2002 : 10:30 AM to 12:20 PM
• Sponsor: Section on Survey Research Methods*
• Author(s): Joseph Conklin*+
• Affiliation(s): U.S. Census Bureau
• Keywords: printing operations ; data capture ; quality assurance ; information technology

Abstract

This paper paints in broad outline the human and technological factors contributing to the high quality of the Census 2000 printing operations. The massive scale of the printing operations is explained and suggests the many challenges involved. Successful implementation of the data capture system imposed strict quality requirements on the ink and paper used. The research which defined these requirements and determined how to meet them is summarized.

Managing the contractual relationship with the printers entailed the cooperation of multiple Bureau of the Census divisions and the Government Printing Office. The most important aspects of the contractual relationship and its implications for quality are fleshed out. The Bureau of the Census used a three-pronged quality assurance approach to continuously measure the printers' performance. The highlights of this strategy are discussed. The Bureau of the Census took full advantage of the great advances in information technology to build a computer system capable of providing near real time data on the quality of the printed forms. The major phases in the evolution of this system are covered.