The Census Bureau defines quality as “fitness for use.” We are guided by the needs of our customers to help determine that our data products are fit for their use. Our customers include all branches and levels of the federal government, state and local governments, and the public. When planning each data product we identify our primary customers and their uses for the data. We provide this definition of data quality to help our customers and employees understand the foundation of our data quality principles and standards.

To be fit for use, data products must possess all three attributes of quality defined by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB):

Utility - refers to the usefulness of the information for its intended users.

Objectivity - refers to whether information is accurate, reliable, and unbiased, and is presented in an accurate, clear, and unbiased manner.

Integrity - refers to the security or protection of information from unauthorized access or revision.

To help apply limited resources to best achieve fitness for use, the Census Bureau further defines utility, objectivity, and integrity in terms of six dimensions of data quality: relevance, accuracy, timeliness, accessibility, interpretability, and transparency. Thinking of data quality in these dimensions helps the Census Bureau to analyze the trade-offs between the sometimes conflicting dimensions, to meet our customers’ needs, and ultimately, to satisfy our customers.

Relevance refers to the degree to which our data products provide information that meets our customers’ needs.

Accuracy refers to the difference between an estimate of a parameter and its true value. We characterize the difference in terms of systematic (bias) and random (variance) errors.

Timeliness refers to the length of time between the reference period of the information and when we deliver the data product to our customers.

Accessibility refers to the ease with which customers can identify, obtain, and use the information in our data products.

Interpretability refers to the availability of documentation to aid customers in understanding and using our data products. This documentation typically includes: the underlying concepts; definitions; the methods used to collect, process, and analyze the data; and the limitations imposed by the methods used.

Transparency refers to providing documentation about the assumptions, methods, and limitations of a data product to allow qualified third parties to reproduce the information, unless prevented by confidentiality or other legal constraints.

In planning, developing, and delivering a data product, these dimensions of data quality may come into conflict. When this occurs, the Census Bureau analyzes all the dimensions to achieve a suitable balance among them. For example, timeliness and accuracy may present conflicting priorities. To achieve the best accuracy might require a longer data collection period to follow up nonrespondents and obtain interviews. But if obtaining near-perfect response would delay the data product until it was too late to inform the customer’s decision, then a trade-off might be needed between accuracy and timeliness to achieve fitness for use. Similarly, unexpected circumstances in collecting or processing the data might require the Census Bureau to re-evaluate the dimensions of quality and redirect resources aimed at satisfying one dimension to focus on another, in the interest of achieving fitness for use.

                  Signed Al R. Tupek, 5/25/06
                  Alan R. Tupek
                  Chair, Methodology and Standards Council

                  Signed David C. Whitford, 5/25/06
                  David C. Whitford
                  Acting Chief, Cecennial Statistical Studies Division

                  Signed Rita Petroni, 5/25/06
                  Rita Petroni
                  Chief, Office of Statistical Methods and Research
                  for Economic Programs

                  Signed Ruth Ann Killion, 5/25/06
                  Ruth Ann Killion
                  Senior Methodologist for Mathematical Statistician
                  and Methodology Staffing and Development

                  Signed Ruth Ann Killion, 5/25/06
                  Ruth Ann Killion
                  Chief, Planning, Research and Evaluation Division

                  Signed Tommy Wright, 5/25/06
                  Tommy Wright
                  Chief, Statistical Research Division

                  Signed Ted A. Johnson, 6/14/06
                  Ted A. Johnson
                  Associate Director Administration and
                  Chief Financial Officer

                  Signed Nancy M. Gordon, 6/14/06
                  Nancy M. Gordon
                  Associate Director for Strategic Planning
                  and Innovation

                  Signed Thomas L. Mesenbourg, 6/14/06
                  Thomas L. Mesenbourg
                  Associate Director for Economic Programs

                  Signed Preston Jay Waite, 6/14/06
                  Preston Jay Waite
                  Associate Director for Decennial Census

                  Signed Howard Hogan, 6/14/06
                  Howard Hogan
                  Associate Director for Demographic Programs

Version	Issue Date	Approval	Description
1.0	22 Nov 05	M&S Council	Initial Release
1.1	13 Dec 05	Configuration Mgr.	Re-Edit
1.2	05 Jan 06	Configuration Mgr.	Reformat
1.3	14 Jun 06	Associate Directors	Redefine transparency and clarified concepts. Initial concurrence of the Associate Directors

The most current version of this document is maintained on the Census Bureau Intranet and may
be accessed from the Quality Management Repository.