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How do Data Standards Contribute to Quality Information?
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How do Data Standards Contribute to Quality Information?
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How is the Quality of the Information within Data Standards Ensured?
How do Data Standards Contribute to Quality Information?
Data Standards are a very important part of improving data quality for better decision-making in EPA’s environmental management programs and those of its partners.
- The use of data standards enables reusability of data elements and their metadata that can reduce redundancy between systems, thereby, improving reliability and often reducing cost.
- Data standards improve the efficiency of mapping among system data elements by providing a common translation set of data elements for all mapping activities.
- Data standards ensure consistency in code set use by providing for the maintenance and management of permissible code sets.
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How is the Quality of the Information within Data Standards Ensured?
The Data Standards Branch (DSB) provides continuity and consistency for all standards developed and/or revised by providing expertise and administrative support to Action Teams. DSB staff shepherd a data standard through the review/approval process; conduct any required Federal Register announcement and review processes; and post the final data standard on the Data Standards Web site and in the Data Registry.
Before a data standard is submitted into the development cycle, a feasibility and scoping study is undertaken. The standard is then developed by experts from the community of interest, including trading partners who will employ that standard as well as program and regional staff from EPA. The drafts are vetted and approved by the governing body designated for that standard. The standard is then vetted to the public through the Federal Register process. This rigorous process of review and vetting ensures that the best possible standard will be created. The governing body then approves the new/revised standard.
The standard is maintained by a data standard steward (chosen in the subject area of the standard). The steward reviews the data standard on a periodic basis for currency and any errors and proposes any revisions. The revision process for major revisions parallels the development process outlined above.
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