Biography of Data: A Societal Level Perspective On Data Quality

Abstract

The prevailing view to the data lifecycle is the same as the view to the process of manufacturing of products and it is called data production process. Different data roles which have been considered in this process are data collector or generator, data custodian and data consumer. Lee (2004) suggests that if these roles have adequate contextual knowledge, the quality of data improves significantly. At the societal level, “psychic distance” between different data roles needs to be accommodated. We argue that networked-view (Law and Singleton 2005) to the process of data production helps to have better understanding of how these roles can affect data quality at the societal level. According to this view an independent data role can be assumed for the technology which is being used in the process while its role is generally considered to be incorporated in other data roles. Leonardi (2010) argues that digital technology has materiality, hence, we decided to consider a role for information technology in this process which leads us to the technology vendor’s indirect role in the process of data production. We argue that the data consumer should understand other data roles’ perception from his/her context is crucial for improving the quality of data when one or more data roles are from different societal groups (countries). Drawing on Kopytoff’s biography of things, we suggest biographical perspective gives complementary insight into data quality issues.