Measures

Objective

To ensure that all data quality metrics available through external bodies are incorporated into local data quality assurance processes, to direct quality improvement activities and inform board reporting.

Benefit

Having access to a free, nationally sourced set of metrics allows organisations to understand their own data quality strengths and weaknesses and those of their peers.  This helps to identify opportunities for improvement, celebrate successes and learn from others. Incorporating external metrics also demonstrates acceptance of and aspiration to meet nationally defined levels of data quality.

Best practice

The use of nationally sourced and verified data quality metrics within internal assurance processes and quality reporting systems strengthens local assurance of nationally acceptable levels of data quality. Quality indicators such as the Data Quality Maturity Index (DQMI) should be used to augment local assurance processes and supplement existing board reporting.  This should include monitoring data quality performance against national standards, benchmarking against peer groups, supporting identification of data quality issues and directing improvement activities.  Frequent use of external metrics for continual quality monitoring enables the quantifying of weaknesses in data completeness, timeliness, consistency and accuracy. This in turn should help determine the extent to which data is fit for both primary and secondary uses.