Data Quality & Standards

Data Quality and Standards

Let’s not accept poor data quality as the norm.

Meet the data quality challenge with Insights Association.


Why Data Quality Matters

The cornerstone of the insights and analytics industry's success is data quality—a measure of the condition of data based on accuracy, completeness, consistency, reliability, and timeliness. Poor data quality undermines our industry's ability to inform smart marketing and business decisions.

According to a 2023 Insights Association member survey on data fraud, one of the most pressing challenges in data quality:

  • 63% accept some level of fraud as part of conducting market research studies
  • 64% have experienced a project delay or negative impact due to fraud

56% report that fraud has affected decision-making

Our Approach to Improving Data Quality

Improving data quality and data integrity requires innovation, collaboration, and a commitment to high standards. Insights Association supports this through:

Education & Awareness

We provide ongoing resources, tools, and frameworks focused on data quality, management, and ethics. We also promote the understanding that data quality is a shared responsibility—cutting across roles, company types, and methodologies.

Consistent Language

Establishing a shared vocabulary across the industry helps clearly identify data quality problems and communicate solutions more effectively.

Standards

We advocate for defining fraud and quality standards that can be quantified—so organizations can benchmark, improve, and align around common goals.

Partnerships

We facilitate industry-wide cooperation through the Council for Data Integrity and as the U.S. lead for the Global Data Quality initiative. Together, we develop and promote shared solutions to persistent data quality challenges

Council for Data Integrity

The Council for Data Integrity (CDI) is a body of Insights Association member leaders and experts dedicated to evolving sample and data integrity definitions, quality standards, and educational practices. Since 2021, the CDI has produced best practices and guidelines, and it represents the U.S. in the Global Data Quality initiative.

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Global Data Quality Initiative

Insights Association collaborates with leading global associations—including ESOMAR, AQR, MRS, QRCA, SampleCon, and others—to address evolving threats to data quality across market research, consumer insights, and social research.

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