1. Data Integrity Leadership Institute
Summer 2017

2. What is Data Integrity?
One of the most important and overlooked parts of data analysis
Definition: maintaining accurate data on a consistent basis
Collecting the correct data at correct time
Entering the data into storage correctly
Understanding and manipulating the data correctly
Communicating that data to others correctly

3. Why is Data Integrity so Important?
Garbage in/Garbage Out
Prevents confusion
Uses time and resources more efficiently
Make better decisions

4. Lesson Learned Mars Climate Orbiter Launched 1998 Cost $125 million
Disintegrated in Mars’ atmosphere in 1999
Mission failed because of a problem with data integrity

5. Dr. Edward Weiler, NASA’s Associate Administrator for Space Science:
“People sometimes make errors. The problem here was not the error, it was the failure of NASA’s systems engineering, and the checks and balances in our processes to detect the error. That’s why we lost the spacecraft.”
September 30, 1999

6. Another Lesson Learned

7. Creating Data Integrity
Collecting and entering data:
As a leadership team, implement policies and procedures on collecting and entering data
How is data collected from the classroom? When? How is the data entered? Is everyone doing it the same way?
Monitor that policies and procedures are being followed
When using data in analysis:
Question all of the data and verify it, even if it came from a trusted source
How was this data created? What time period does it cover? What is it measuring? Is it missing anything? Or including too much?