Tackling Data Quality in Government
Data Quality
Taking the first step towards understanding and measuring the impact of data quality with Harmonic’s Data Quality Assessment.
Many government agencies are undergoing modernisation projects and transformations with the intent to increase the utilisation of data resources. In cases like these, understanding data quality upfront provides the insights that project managers and change leaders need to save time and avoid costly mistakes down the line. In this case study, we take a high-level look at how a large government department underwent a Data Quality Assessment to help improve the quality of information used for reporting and decision-making functions.
The Challenge
A large government department wanted to assess and monitor the quality of data in two core operational repositories which support numerous critical functions within the department and helps to inform decisions across the sector.
The Solution
Harmonic conducted a data quality assessment of the repositories and produced a final report outlining findings and recommendations. The review consisted of five phases based on the Harmonic Scale™ Assessment Framework.
Interviews with internal and external stakeholders and two phases of detailed targeted analytics were conducted to obtain a detailed understanding of the data quality, key use cases, and business objectives.
Harmonic utilised knowledge of data practices in public sector organisations with similar challenges to determine a benchmark for the assessment which considered data quality dimensions including completeness, accuracy, consistency, and timeliness.
The Result
- A greater understanding of data quality in the reviewed repositories and its impact on operations.
- Improved ability to plan and manage data quality and any business uses, future projects, and integrations with the data repositories.
- A clear understanding of where the department sits in line with accepted industry data practices.
- A solid foundation to inform and support high-level data governance and strategy.
- Ability to act appropriately and quickly to data quality issues based on recommendations and ranking of core issues.
“It’s been a real pleasure having Harmonic Analytics helping out with the data quality review work. They provided the perfect balance of data science/analytical capability and business understanding. What they delivered as well as how they delivered certainly made the responsible manager’s life stress-free!”
— Data Quality Project Manager