About the Digital Economy Navigator

POWERED BY AI: ABOUT DENi THE DEN INTELLIGENCE CHATBOT

DENi is a new feature of the DEN website, an AI-based chatbot that allows the user to navigate the DEN with natural language interaction:​ 

• DEN framework and methodology​ 

• Country and aggregate results​ 

• Indicator scores and raw data​ 

• Definitions, units and sources​ 

• Insights and policy implication​

ABOUT THE DEN METHODOLOGY

The design of the DEN framework follows the OECD/JRC’s guidelines¹ on the construction of composite indicators, which present a hierarchical structure divided into dimensions, pillars, and indicators.

The DEN 2025 includes 145 indicators, of which 92 are statistics obtained from secondary data sources and 53 are primary data indicators obtained from a proprietary online survey. This approach captures both quantitative and qualitative or behavioral facets of digital maturity. 

The 92 secondary data indicators are sourced from databases of organizations such as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the World Bank, the World Economic Forum, UNCTAD and other UN agencies. These indicators had to satisfy selection criteria including: 

• Publication by reputable and publicly available sources 

• Timeliness and regularity of updates 

• Clarity and specificity of the concept measured 

• Relevance to and coherence with the DEN framework 

• Comparability across countries 

• Country coverage (at least 75% of the country selection). 

The 53 primary data indicators come from a proprietary online survey, conducted between July and August 2025, of over 41,000 adult respondents (aged between 18 and 65), implemented across the 80 countries measured by the DEN, with at least 500 respondents per country. The survey was targeted at the online population to gather insights from their experience as participants in the digital economy. This allows the DEN to measure aspects that secondary data cannot capture, such as individuals’ behaviors and how the digital economy affects their lives. The survey sample in each country balances demographic characteristics, such as gender, age groups, place of living, and education level. Various quality checks have been performed to ensure the highest standards (see the Annex in the full report for a detailed explanation). 

• Survey questions were primarily drawn from validated surveys and adapted when necessary, following standard survey design principles, such as objectivity, quantifiability, specificity, consistency and conciseness. 

• The survey was designed in English then translated and localized into the main 31 languages spoken in the 80 countries. 

• Expert reviews contributed to the survey design, questionnaire validation, and analysis of the survey data. These reviews came from both members of the DEN expert panel and others with specific expertise in survey methodology. 

The 145 indicators represent a significant improvement in the capacity of the DEN 2025 to portray a more complete picture of the digital economy, compared with the 102 indicators in the DEN 2024. However, some limitations are inherent in measuring such a multifaceted concept, and many concepts remain hard to capture with the available indicators. This calls for global collaboration on bridging the data gap on the digital economy. 

See the Changes Since the DEN 2024 section of the full report for an overview of the changes between the two editions. You can also read the full methodology including the survey questionnaire and indicator list in the Annex of the DEN report.

^{1. OECD (2023), “Policy Dimensions: Trust”, OECD Going Digital Toolkit. Available at: goingdigital.oecd.org/en/dimension/trust}

More about the DEN 2025

• Read DCOs announcement of the 2025 DEN
• Explore the updated 2025 Digital Economy Navigator
• Download the 2025 DEN Report
• Download the 2025 DEN Workbook

More about the DEN 2024

• Download the 2024 DEN Report
• Download the 2024 DEN Workbook