417 – Redesigning Federal Surveys
An Overview of 2020 Census Design
Robin A. Pennington
US Census Bureau
Michael Bentley
U.S. Census Bureau
Gina Walejko
U.S. Census Bureau
The 2020 Census Operational Plan defines the operations to be performed in the 2020 Census and describes the function and scope of each operation. Since the 2010 Census, the Census Bureau has been designing and testing technological advances and other innovative methodologies for completing the next census, which are outlined in the operational plan. In this paper, current plans for major redesigned operations will be presented. Of particular note, the 2020 Census will include numerous innovations to maximize self-response, especially through online response. Other strategies to maximize self-response and challenges associated with maximizing self-response for subpopulations will also be discussed. Additional innovations with significant impacts to census design such as in-office development of the census address frame and targeted uses of administrative records to reduce field operation workloads will also be described.