Abstract
The modernization programs that are being introduced in many National Statistical Institutes impose them to put at the heart of their concerns the assessment of performance and efficiency of statistical and organizational processes. So far, the international community attention has been more focused towards the quality of statistics, for which a highly structured and developed framework exists, supported by quality measures and proxy quality indicators. The Statistical Quality Control theory has acknowledged the importance of the processes, but still the attention is focused on statistical process quality improvement as a way to increase output quality. This paper is aimed at setting the building blocks for the development of a structured framework for the process quality itself. Processes are first defined and classified according to their different nature, e.g. statistical vs. organizational ones, taking into account both the management control literature and the UNECE Generic Activity Model for Statistical Organizations (GAMSO). Then, a set of quality characteristics applicable to the statistical processes and sub-processes and to some organizational processes is introduced. They are the pillars for the further definition of measures to monitor quality and performance and to assess them against given targets.