Abstract

Problems associated with data quality cost companies millions of dollars every year because of bad decision-making based on inaccurate information, noncompliance with regulations, or failure to timely deal with customer problems. Nowadays, data have become one of the most valuable assets of organizations; data quality is no longer a task involving only information technology managers, business managers are increasingly more implicated. In the context of business management processes, the early specification of data quality requirements can be crucial. This article reveals the results of a research study conducted in specialized sites, blogs, forums, and literature related to how business people (not specialized in information technology) express data quality needs. Additionally, how the result was validated is shown through the participation of business experts and analysts. The outcome were lists with 18 types of problems associated with data quality and 35 characteristics that data must comply with in relation to quality.