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About SNIS
The Neighbourhood Information System uses SNIS scores. There are a number of stages to calculating the overall SNIS score for a neighbourhood.
First of all, the raw data for each SNIS indicator is converted into an index score. This is done by ranking the raw data for all the neighbourhoods and noting a neighbourhood's position in the ranking from 1 to 100.
This position in the ranking is the initial score for a neighbourhood for that indicator. It is then adjusted, or weighted, to reflect the amount of influence the indicator has on a neighbourhood's success.
This is repeated for all of the other SNIS indicators, and these weighted scores are then brought together to give overall scores for each of the seven SNIS domains. The domain scores are then weighted to reflect the impact the domain has on a neighbourhood’s success. Bringing these seven scores together gives us the overall SNIS score for a neighbourhood and the higher the score, the more successful the neighbourhood.
SNIS produces a relative measure of success. That means that while it is very good at comparing a neighbourhood with other areas, care has to be taken when looking at the headline results on their own. You may also want to look at a performance assessment for Sheffield as a whole.
What can we use SNIS for?
SNIS can be used for:
- Describing a neighbourhood
- Comparing a neighbourhood with another neighbourhood and with the average for Sheffield
- Helping to identify the issues a neighbourhood faces
- Helping to inform the response to these issues
- Helping to inform target setting for projects, programmes, or the neighbourhood as a whole
- Tracking, evaluating and reporting progress
SNIS is not suitable for:
- Predicting the future
- Drawing conclusions about cause and effect
- Examining equalities issues
- Drawing conclusions about whether a neighbourhood is getting better or getting worse
- Drawing conclusions about whether Sheffield as a whole is getting better or getting worse
SNIS has helped us to:
- Get a better understanding of Sheffield's neighbourhoods
- Plan the work of a range of groups, including Area Panels
- Set up a Local Area Agreement with Central Government
- Decide how much Neighbourhood Renewal Fund is allocated to each Area Panel
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