- Are the data timely, accurate/validated, and consistent? These are the fundamentals pointing to basic infrastructure, capacity, process, and governance that will hinder an effective data culture if they’re not attended to and appropriately resourced.
- What are the limitations of the data? No data are perfect; they’re often incomplete, ill-defined, sometimes unreliable or inconsistent, perhaps not well operationalized or valid. Of course, some questions will require higher levels of precision than others but, in most cases, some data are better than no data as long as you come to terms with the limitations and take those into account when using those data to inform decisions.
- Are the data outcomes-focused and aligned with your strategic and operational needs? As the popular saying goes, we are what we measure. Accountability in today’s higher education environment is increasingly turning from inputs to outcomes, so be sure to ask if your data are keeping pace. As someone who has been providing data to leadership for decades, I can attest that it’s much more effective to design institutional strategies and processes with measurement in mind so that the data being collected are aligned to and able to inform the desired outcomes.
- Do your data provide a contextual means of exploration of a broader topic? Reporting is necessary but altogether insufficient for data-informed decision making. And, a single data point is meaningless without a contextual anchor such as comparison over time, across groups, or against a standardized measure or goal. The best presentations of data to inform decision making consider multiple data sources, triangulate to show the facets and dimensions of a topic, speak to institutional environment, and anticipate likely questions.
- Can the data open up an opportunity space to change things for the better? Reporting is a look at the past – how are your data helping you to change your future? Do your institutional data predict, forecast, and/or diagnose in order to inform and enable proactive interventions? Are your data being used to inform continuous improvement through assessment/evaluation of your efforts? Part of using data to inform and create opportunities also means deploying it effectively. Data should be pitched at the right level for each audience, in an actionable, accessible, and engaging way – ideally integrated into everyday workflow so that it becomes part of how we work rather than additional work.

Five Things Leaders Should Ask of Their Institutional Data
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Dr. Angela Baldasare, Senior Strategic Consultant, Civitas Learning
Angela is an experienced researcher, analyst, and consultant with a demonstrated history of success in data strategy and change management, helping organizations of all kinds effectively use data to inform strategy and achieve measurable outcomes. Angela’s work as a strategic consultant at Civitas Learning is informed most recently by her 8 years at the University of Arizona (UA). From 2014-2018 Angela served as the assistant provost for institutional research, managing the merger of UA’s institutional research and business intelligence units, and leading UA’s use of Civitas Learning products to support student success. From 2010-2014, served UA as the director of assessment and research for Student Affairs & Enrollment Management. Angela earned her PhD in sociology from UA and was an assistant professor at the University of Dayton from 2000-2003.