What is meant by the fitness for use of data?

The concept of "fitness for use" refers to how well the data meets the specific requirements and needs of a project or application. This encompasses various factors, including the type of analysis being performed, the level of detail required, and whether the data represents the phenomena being studied adequately for the intended purpose. When assessing fitness for use, stakeholders consider whether the data can effectively support decision-making, analysis, and other processes relevant to the project.

For instance, data might be technically complete and collected within a certain format, but if it does not align with the objectives of a specific project or does not address the questions that need to be answered, it wouldn’t be considered fit for use. Therefore, the focus on how the data fulfills the project’s needs is the central aspect that defines its fitness for purpose.

While aspects such as format, timeliness, accuracy, and precision are important and contribute to the overall quality of data, they do not alone determine its suitability for a particular application. It is the alignment between data characteristics and project objectives that truly establishes whether the data can be deemed fit for use.