Data producer quality self-assessment checklist

This is a self-assessment checklist to be completed by data producersDefinition of data producer.  Completing the self-assessment allows the data producer to reflect on their own data quality assurance practices and note where improvements could be made.  The completed self-assessment, with evidence of how each quality attribute is assured, could be shared with data users to allow users to make informed decisions about the fitness for useDefinition of fitness for use of the data.

Definition of data producer

The entity responsible for generating, collecting, gathering, processing or manipulating the data, and making it available to others.

Definition of fitness for use

The expression "fit for purpose" or "fit for use" is used to represent the concept of meeting the needs of a client or user of a product, but not exceeding them. An example of a "fit for purpose" commuter vehicle would be a Honda or Mazda, not a Lamborghini.

Definition of metadata

Metadata is data that describes other data. Metadata summarize basic information about data, making it easier to find and to work with.

Required fields are marked with an asterisk (*).

Questions about you, the data producerAnswerHyperlink to evidence (if applicable)

Q1 Are you a: government department, ministry or agency; academic or research institution; private company; something else?

Q2 Do you expect to still be providing these data one year from now?

Q3 Are you willing to offer consultation and support to those interested in using this data?

Q4 Did you follow specified data quality assurance practices in the production of these data?

Q5 Are all methods and procedures used documented?

Q6 Are all methods and procedures used reproducible?

Q7 Is there protection against breach or loss of data in all holdings and all transmissions?
Qestions about the metadataAnswerHyperlink to evidence (if applicable)

Q8 Do you provide to those wishing to use your data metadataDefinition of metadata describing the data?

Q9 If so, in what format are metadata provided?

Q10 If so, are the metadata available at the same time as the data are available?

Q11 If so, do the metadata include all concepts, definitions and descriptions of variables?

Q12 If so, do the metadata include descriptions of methods, procedures and quality assurance practices followed in the production of the data?

Q13 If so, are the metadata accurate, complete, up to date, and free of contradictions?
Questions about the dataAnswerHyperlink to evidence (if applicable)

Q14 How long after the end of the reference period are these data available to users?

Q15 What time period do these data cover?

Q16 What geographic region do these data pertain to?

Q17 What population units are represented by these data?

Q18 Are these data made available to users at the lowest possible level of granularity (detail)?

Q19 Do you provide accuracy indicators for (at least) the 5-6 most important variables on this dataset?

Q20 If so, please provide the variable names and an indicator or estimate of the accuracy for each of the 5-6 most important variables.

Accuracy could be expressed as CV values or upper and lower bounds of a confidence interval
VariableIndicator

Q21 Please provide the name of the variable and the percentage of valid values for each of the 5-6 most important variables.

VariablePercentage

Q22 Do the data on individual records make sense?

Q23 What standard formats are used, for which variables?

Q24 What is done to protect against the disclosure of sensitive information?

Q25 Are there unique identifiers on the dataset?

Q26 Are there matching variables such as age, sex, address, industry, occupation?

Q27 In what format are these data available?

Q28 What is the average size of a dataset?

Q29 Are there any exceptions or limitations in these data? If so, what are they?

After completing the checklist, click on the Submit button and your responses will be emailed to you. If you wish to provide us feedback (and we would love to hear from you!) please email Statistics Canada Quality Secretariat and let us know what you think.

Date modified: