AUTOMATED DATA LINKING

ADL is being introduced into the PES in 2011 for the first time. This follows an evaluation exercise which was undertaken by linking experts within the ABS after the 2006 PES. ADL refers to the use of automated data linking processes to determine possible links between Census and PES data before any clerical matching process has begun.

ADL employs probabilistic data linking techniques, using a range of personal and address characteristics, to evaluate the likelihood that a PES record and a Census record pertain to the same individual. ADL therefore provides the opportunity to match persons that would have been too difficult to match previously, given the constraints of previous technology and processes. The key gains in matching effectiveness and efficiency provided by ADL include:

• the ability to conduct a more comprehensive search for PES respondents than was possible from previous clerical matching processes;
• the ability to locate PES respondents at Census night addresses that were not identified on the PES; and
• a reduced requirement for clerical matching resources.

ADL uses Freely Extensible Biomedical Record Linking (FEBRL) software developed at the Australian National University. A number of different linking runs will be used to compare PES and Census records, each focused on a slightly different combination of name, addresses and demographic variables.

Potential links are assessed by assigning weights that reflect the level of agreement on selected data items from the two records. Large positive weights indicate probable matches, while large negative weights are observed for probable non-matches.

Important to the effective use of ADL is a series of processes that are run after ADL output is obtained. The Collect, Analyse, Reduce, De-duplicate and Systematise (CARDS) process identifies and rates the most plausible links from each ADL run for all PES respondents. The process then combines the links from all ADL runs and removes any duplicates.

The CARDS process concludes by creating dwelling links, as the PES Match and Search System (MSS) operates on a dwelling basis. Person-level links are grouped together within dwellings, and dwelling-level links are derived and rated on the basis of the numbers of persons recorded in the PES and Census dwellings and the number and quality of person-level links identified between the two dwellings.

While ADL is the next step in the evolution and continual improvement of PES processing, it is important to note that ADL cannot entirely replace the clerical decision-making process that has previously been at the core of PES processing. Clerical judgment will always be required to resolve the more complex or ambiguous cases and be used as a means of quality assuring automated processes. Some adjustments to the clerical match and search processes have also been necessary to ensure that the relative strengths of both ADL and the MSS are fully realised.

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