Facilitating use of analytic methods at a federal agency.

Abstract

Identification and application of appropriate analytic methods are critical pieces of the foundation of science. Because of the increasingly complex issues federal agencies face and the increasing importance of addressing those issues with multi-disciplinary teams that offer knowledge and skills in many methods areas, it is important that agencies foster coordinated integration of analytic methods. This report discusses the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) evolving needs regarding analytic methods and includes activities that CDC has undertaken to facilitate a coordinated approach to the use of the statistical sciences. We introduce a new framework for facilitating coordination in analytic methods as a hybrid model, blending attributes of centralized and decentralized resource models. This coordinating focus approach offers assets of timeliness, efficiency, and effectiveness, as well as fosters strengthened relationships among scientists and increased collaboration among scientific disciplines.