Managing data acquisition

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4. Data Management Data Entry – Introduction Course
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Acquiring data is the data collection process, including what information is acquired, how and why.

Data management starts with the collection of data: from the moment the organisation has data in its hands, it is responsible for properly handling it including dealing with the laws and regulations that might relate to the data. For units and individuals, the same is true; everyone has a duty to handle the data entrusted to their care appropriately.

In handling data collection consider the following:

  • What data is being obtained
  • The object of the acquisition of data
  • How information is obtained
  • The database that is being obtained and if new information is being built
  • Is it important to make privacy consideration for data?

Guidelines for data acquisition

Follow these guidelines when handling data acquisition:

  • Be aware of data limitations or their collection.
    For data collection, legal, regulatory, privacy, or other restrictions may apply. This can involve:
    • Notification of the set of data
    • obtaining permission for gathering data
    • gathering only specific details
    • until data collection, to obtain a contract or agreement.
  • Consider the source of the knowledge.
    It is necessary to collect reliable, credible data. Be mindful of the origins of the collected data and whether you can be sure of the accuracy of the data. For example, it is generally easier to get data from a database in a current report instead of relying on a previous report, which does not represent recent data changes.
  • Handle data generation.
    Data acquisition requires generating data. Be mindful of the sensitivity of the new data, when merging existing data and reduce data duplication where practical.