What Are the Eight 8 Characteristics That Define Data Quality?
Why data quality even matters (more than you think)
Let’s be real: bad data costs time, money, and sometimes even your reputation. Whether you're in marketing, healthcare, finance, or just managing a small Excel sheet—if your data sucks, your decisions probably will too. That’s where data quality steps in. But what actually defines good data? There are eight key characteristics, and yeah, each of them matters in its own way.
The 8 characteristics that define data quality
1. Accuracy
Does the data reflect the real-world object or event it’s supposed to represent? That’s what accuracy is all about. If your customer’s name is “Julie” but your database says “Jilue,”... well, that’s awkward (and useless).
Pro tip: Always double-check sources. Automation helps, but manual review still has a place.
2. Completeness
Missing data = missing insights. Simple. If half the addresses in your shipping list are blank, guess what? Packages won’t get delivered. And you’ll get yelled at. A lot.
That said, not all missing data is equally damaging—depends on the use case. But as a rule of thumb, more complete = better decisions.
3. Consistency
Here’s a big one. If “NY” is used in one table and “New York” in another for the same thing... Houston, we have a problem. Inconsistency ruins reporting and analysis faster than you'd think.
Been there: Had a project once where "yes" was written 6 different ways ("Y", "Yes", "1", "true", etc.). Took hours to clean. Nightmare.
4. Timeliness
Is the data up-to-date? Like, really? If you’re using last month’s pricing in today’s quote, you could be undercharging—or overcharging. Either way, not great.
Some industries (like stock trading or supply chain) need real-time data. Others can live with daily or weekly updates. But no matter what, stale data = risky data.
5. Validity
Is the data in the correct format or range? A birthdate like “03/45/2027” isn’t just wrong—it’s impossible. Validity is about structure. Do emails have the right @ and .com stuff? Are numbers where numbers should be?
Validation rules can catch this early—so use them.
6. Uniqueness
No duplicates, please. If you’ve got the same customer listed three times with slight name variations... you're not just messing with your CRM—you’re also skewing metrics.
Deduplication tools exist for a reason. Use ’em.
7. Relevance
Even if the data is perfect, if it doesn’t serve your goal, it’s useless. Imagine collecting shoe sizes for a car insurance form. Huh? Exactly.
Relevance means the data has a clear purpose and fits the decision-making context.
8. Accessibility
Last but not least: can the right people access the data when they need it? If your sales team can’t pull up customer info during a call... that’s a problem. Data hoarding or poor permissions kill productivity.
Oh, and security matters too—accessible doesn’t mean “wide open.” Balance is key.
Quick recap (because why not?)
Here’s the short list:
Accuracy
Completeness
Consistency
Timeliness
Validity
Uniqueness
Relevance
Accessibility
Miss one? Your data might still “work”... but not well. Miss several? Now you’re in dumpster fire territory.
So, what are the eight 8 characteristics that define data quality? They’re your checklist, your defense line, your best friend in the messy world of information. Get them right, and your data stops being just “data” — it becomes a true asset.
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Is 172 cm good for a man?
Yes it is. Average height of male in India is 166.3 cm (i.e. 5 ft 5.5 inches) while for female it is 152.6 cm (i.e. 5 ft) approximately. So, as far as your question is concerned, aforesaid height is above average in both cases.
Is 165 cm normal for a 15 year old?
The predicted height for a female, based on your parents heights, is 155 to 165cm. Most 15 year old girls are nearly done growing. I was too. It's a very normal height for a girl.
Is 160 cm too tall for a 12 year old?
How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).
How tall is a average 15 year old?
Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years
| Male Teens: 13 - 20 Years) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 14 Years | 112.0 lb. (50.8 kg) | 64.5" (163.8 cm) |
| 15 Years | 123.5 lb. (56.02 kg) | 67.0" (170.1 cm) |
| 16 Years | 134.0 lb. (60.78 kg) | 68.3" (173.4 cm) |
| 17 Years | 142.0 lb. (64.41 kg) | 69.0" (175.2 cm) |
How to get taller at 18?
Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.
Is 5.7 a good height for a 15 year old boy?
Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).
Can you grow between 16 and 18?
Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.
Can you grow 1 cm after 17?
Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.