Ah-Dqa-Checklist Final2021 1

PROGRAM CYCLE
ADS 201 Additional Help

USAID RECOMMENDED DATA QUALITY
ASSESSMENT (DQA) CHECKLIST
Data Quality Assessment Checklist and Recommended Procedures
This Data Quality Assessment (DQA) Checklist is provided as a recommended tool that an operating
unit (OU) may use to complete its DQAs. If the OU prefers or has successfully used a different tool for
conducting and documenting its DQAs in the past, they are free to continue the use of that tool instead.
The checklist on the following page is intended to assist in assessing each of the five required aspects of
data quality and provide a convenient manner in which to document the OU’s DQA findings.
Program Cycle Additional Help documents provide non-mandatory guidance intended to clarify ADS
201. Curated by the Bureau for Policy, Planning and Learning (PPL), these may include “how-to”
guidelines, templates and examples of best practice.
USAID Mission or Operating Unit Name:
Title of Performance Indicator:
[Indicator should be copied directly from the Performance Indicator Reference Sheet]
Linkage to Foreign Assistance Standardized Program Structure, if applicable (i.e., Program Area,
Element, etc.):
Result This Indicator Measures [For USAID only] (i.e., Specify the Development Objective,
Intermediate Result, or Project Purpose, etc.):
Data Source(s):
[Information can be copied directly from the Performance Indicator Reference Sheet]
Partner or Contractor Who Provided the Data:
[It is recommended that this checklist is completed for each partner that contributes data to an indicator – it
should state in the contract or grant that it is the prime’s responsibility to ensure the data quality of sub-
contractors or sub grantees.]
Period for Which the Data Are Being Reported:
Is This Indicator a Standard or Custom Indicator? ____ Standard Foreign Assistance Indicator
____ Custom (created by the OU; not standard)
Data Quality Assessment methodology:
[Describe here or attach to this checklist the methods and procedures for assessing the quality of the indicator
data. E.g. Reviewing data collection procedures and documentation, interviewing those responsible for data
analysis, checking a sample of the data for errors, etc.]
Date(s) of Assessment:
Assessment Team Members (hereafter, “DQA team):
USAID Mission/OU Verification of DQA
Team Leader Officer approval
VERSION 4 | MARCH 2021 PAGE 2

YES NO COMMENTS
VALIDITY – Data should represent the intended result clearly and adequately.
1 Does the information collected measure the intended

result clearly and adequately? (E.g., A valid measure of
overall nutrition is healthy variation in diet; Age is
not a valid measure of overall health.)
2 Do results collected fall within a plausible range?
3 Is there reasonable assurance that the data collection

methods being used do not produce systematically
biased data (e.g., consistently over- or under-
counting)?
4 Are sound research methods being used to collect

the data?
RELIABILITY – Data should reflect stable and consistent data-collection processes and analysis
methods over time.
1 When the same data collection method is used to

measure/observe the same thing multiple times, is
the same result produced each time? (E.g., A ruler
used over and over always indicates the same length
for an inch.)
2 Are data collection and analysis methods

documented in writing and being used to ensure the
same procedures are followed each time?
TIMELINESS – Data should be available at a useful frequency, should be current, and should be
timely enough to influence management decision-making.
1 Are data available frequently enough to inform

program management decisions?
2 Are the data reported the most current practically

available?
3 Are the data reported as soon as possible after

collection?

PRECISION – Data have a sufficient level of detail to permit informed management decision-
making.
1 Is the margin of error less than the expected change

being measured? (E.g., If a change of only 2 percent is
expected and the margin of error in a survey used to
collect the data is +/- 5 percent, then the tool is not
precise enough to detect the change.)
2 Has the margin of error been reported along with the

data? (Only applicable to results obtained through
statistical samples.)
3 Is the data collection method/tool being used to

collect the data fine-tuned or exact enough to
register the expected change? (E.g., A yardstick may
not be a precise enough tool to measure a change of
a few millimeters.)
4 Would an increase in the degree of accuracy be

more costly than the increased value of the
information?
5 Are the margins of error acceptable for program decision

making?
INTEGRITY – Data collected should have safeguards to minimize the risk of bias, data
transcription or manipulation.
1 Are procedures or safeguards in place to minimize

the risk of bias, or data transcription errors?
2 Is there independence in key data collection,

management, and assessment procedures?
3 Are mechanisms in place to prevent unauthorized

changes to the data?
SUMMARY

Based on the assessment relative to the five standards, what is the overall conclusion regarding the quality of the
data?
Significance of limitations (if any):
Actions needed to address limitations prior to the next DQA (given level of USG control over data):
IF NO DATA ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE INDICATOR COMMENTS
If no recent relevant data are available for this indicator, why not?
What concrete actions are now being taken to collect and report
these data as soon as possible?
When will data be reported?

Recommendations for Conducting Data Quality Assessments
1. The DQA team should make sure that they understand the precise definition of the indicator
by checking the Performance Indicator Reference Sheet. Please address any issues of ambiguity
before the DQA is conducted.
2. The DQA team should have a copy of the methodology for data collection in hand before
assessing the indicator. For USAID Missions, this information should be in the PMP
Performance Indicator Reference Sheets for each indicator. Each indicator should have a
written description of how the data being assessed are supposed to be collected.
3. Each implementing partner should have a copy of the method of data collection in its files and
documented evidence that they are collecting the data according to the methodology.
4. The DQA team should record the names and titles of all individuals involved in the assessment.
5. Partners should be able to provide USAID with documents (process/person conducting the
verification/field visit dates/persons met/activities visited, etc.), which demonstrate that they
have verified the data that were reported. Note: verification by the partners should be an
ongoing process.
6. The DQA team should be able to review the implementing partner files/records against the
methodology for data collection laid out in the PMP (for USAID Missions only). Any data
quality concerns should be documented.
The DQA should include a summary of significant limitations found. A plan of action, including timelines
and responsibilities, for addressing the limitations should be made.

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PROGRAM CYCLE

ADS 201 Additional Help

Title of Performance Indicator:

Partner or Contractor Who Provided the Data:

Period for Which the Data Are Being Reported:

____ Custom (created by the OU; not standard)

Data Quality Assessment methodology:

Assessment Team Members (hereafter, “DQA team):

USAID Mission/OU Verification of DQA

Team Leader Officer approval

VERSION 4 | MARCH 2021 PAGE 2

1 Does the information collected measure the intended

2 Do results collected fall within a plausible range?

3 Is there reasonable assurance that the data collection

4 Are sound research methods being used to collect

1 When the same data collection method is used to

2 Are data collection and analysis methods

1 Are data available frequently enough to inform

2 Are the data reported the most current practically

3 Are the data reported as soon as possible after

VERSION 4 | MARCH 2021 PAGE 3

1 Is the margin of error less than the expected change

2 Has the margin of error been reported along with the

3 Is the data collection method/tool being used to

4 Would an increase in the degree of accuracy be

5 Are the margins of error acceptable for program decision

1 Are procedures or safeguards in place to minimize

2 Is there independence in key data collection,

3 Are mechanisms in place to prevent unauthorized

VERSION 4 | MARCH 2021 PAGE 4

Significance of limitations (if any):

IF NO DATA ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE INDICATOR COMMENTS

When will data be reported?

VERSION 4 | MARCH 2021 PAGE 5

VERSION 4 | MARCH 2021 PAGE 6

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