Why is data quality essential? Effective data management begins with ensuring the quality and integrity of data. Explore the reasons why data quality is essential for organizations of all sizes.

Most of us EIM professionals agree that business stakeholders, not IT, are key to improved data quality.

This does not mean that IT does not have a critical role to play – after all, data resides in systems and, largely, these systems are maintained and integrated by programmers.

Over the last several years I have seen encouraging signs that business, increasingly, is taking more responsibility for the quality of data. One example is the proliferation of roles such as data stewards – in many cases with a data remediation focus.

Ownership must be taken, not assigned!

Ownership, however, is something that must be taken.

The acid test of ownership boils down to who is blamed when data quality issues arise.

If the CIO is still taking the heat for data quality issues this is a sign that business has not taken ownership.

Does this mean that the CIO has no responsibility for data quality?

No.

Some data quality issues are caused by programming failures – for example, data ingested via bugged ETL processes.

In other cases, automated data quality processes may not work as intended and may not deliver agreed solutions.

Clearly, in cases like these IT has to accept some level of responsibility.

However, even in these cases, businesses must ask whether data quality requirements were clearly scoped and whether adequate time and budget were allocated to allow IT to prioritize and address identified issues.

User error causes most DQ issues

In most cases, however, data quality issues are the direct result of user error.

Ownership requires line-of-business managers to recognise and understand the impact of poor-quality data, not only on their direct area of responsibility but also on downstream users.

For example, if correct billing information is not captured at the point of sale this will impact the ability to collect revenue.

This reality means that ownership is shared.

Business stakeholders need to collaborate, agree on minimum standards and assign responsibility for ensuring that data is captured optimally. This also means assigning appropriate accountability.

In some cases, this accountability will rest with the CIO.

But you will know that the business has taken ownership when this is not the default option!

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