Not really.

At heart, SDMX is easy to understand. It is about managing and automating the process of data and metadata exchange to realise a range of quality benefits. To manage exchanges properly there need to be guidelines (standards) and a model to describe content. To automate exchanges there need to be tools and an appropriate IT structure.

Statisticians tend to be concerned with the standards and the model, whilst IT staff tend to be interested in the technical stuff. Where the two worlds collide in SDMX, the aim is to speak the same language so that each understands the needs of the other! It can be done. SDMX has now been implemented in many statistical domains.