Data.census.gov is the new platform to access demographic and economic data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The vision for data.census.gov is to improve the customer experience by making data available from one centralized place so that data users spend less time searching for data and content, and more time using it.

This transformation stems from overwhelming feedback to simplify the way customers get data. Since the platform is driven by the data users, we are building in an Agile process that allows customers to provide feedback on the site while we develop. This means that the site does not currently have all the features and data that will ultimately be included, but it allows the customers to drive the final product.

In the end, this platform will be the search that takes over census.gov to allow users a single place to seamlessly access data and digital content from the Census Bureau. Until then, access data.census.gov as the central hub for your data needs.

Background

Data.census.gov is the new platform to access data and digital content from the U.S. Census Bureau. The vision for data dissemination through data.census.gov is to improve the customer experience by making data available from one centralized place so that data users spend less time searching for data content and more time using it.

The vision for data.census.gov stems from overwhelming feedback that the Census Bureau has received to simplify the way customers get data. The Census Bureau continues to work on the customer experience so that it is not necessary for data users to know Census Bureau jargon or perform a complicated search to find the data that they need. In the past, prior to the inception of data.census.gov, the Census Bureau collected information, processed edits, reviewed the data, and disseminated it through multiple websites and applications. Data users had to know how to navigate these sites and applications in order to receive access to the end results.

With data.census.gov, we continue to collect, prepare, edit, and review data, but it is disseminated through the Census Bureau’s API on a single platform. This streamlined approach means that data users have access to the Census Bureau data and content in a single place.

The data.census.gov platform is built on the Census Data application programming interface, or API, which provides users with direct access to the data they want. As data users search, they will be making direct calls to the data, metadata, and geospatial services in a way that was not done through American FactFinder (AFF). This transition away from a table-based system, like AFF, towards a single-cell based system, creates new opportunities for data visualizations, maps, and other data displays that data users need.

As more data and content become available in the standardized format through the Census Data API and, subsequently, data.census.gov, data users will discover that they have more choices and greater flexibility. In addition, this transition is standardizing access to aggregate micro data sets, like the Public Use Micro data (PUMS) files, which are available through data.census.gov.

The long-term goal is to integrate data.census.gov with the main Census webpage, census.gov, to create a seamless data user experience, where data are accessible using a single search bar. Until that time, data.census.gov will remain a stand-alone search platform while development continues in improving the site.

The Census Bureau is using an Agile development process that relies on incremental progress and user feedback, rather than the traditional “waterfall” methodology of gathering requirements first, and then building and releasing for review once the system is complete. This Agile approach allows for continuous improvement to the site every two months, as the cycle of building, reviewing, releasing, and incorporating feedback repeats. The end result will be a customer-driven experience.

Feedback Process

A critical part of the development process in improving data.census.gov has been employing data user feedback. When suggestions are emailed to census.data@census.gov, the Census Bureau takes the feedback, compiles and analyzes it, and sends it to the data.census.gov Value Team. The Value Team prioritizes the feedback, with strong consideration to the needs of data users and data programs. The Value Team then decides what features are to be implemented in future development cycles.

Please keep in mind all efforts are focused on migrating data that was previously available on American FactFinder to data.census.gov, and preparing for new data releases, such as the 2020 Census. Once these milestones are complete, we will continue to improve the site by adding functionality based on user feedback. As we commit resources to implement changes, it can take several development cycles to make the updates, test them, and push them to the public site.

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Our Development Depends on Your Feedback

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As we continue to develop new functionalities like search by address and advanced printing and download options, please let us know what features are important to you.

Please send your questions or comments on data.census.gov, Census API, or Microdata Access to census.data@census.gov