Data Fragmentation and Data Linking: A Threat and an Opportunity

Abstract

1 signed into law on January 14, 2019, emphasizes collaboration and coordination to advance data and evidence-building functions in the Federal Government by statutorily mandating Federal evidence-building activities, open government data, and confidential information protection and statistical efficiency. Evidence is broadly defined and includes foundational fact finding, performance measurement, policy analysis, and program evaluation (see Appendix A). 2 In addition, the Evidence Act mandates a systematic rethinking of government data management to better facilitate access for evidence-building activities and public consumption.Despite previous efforts and resource commitments, Federal agencies often lack the data and evidence necessary to make critical decisions about program operations, policy, and regulations, and to gain visibility into the impact of resource allocation on achieving program objectives. Investing in and focusing on the management and use of data and evidence across the Federal Government will enable agencies to shift away from low-value activities toward actions that will support decision makers: linking spending to program outputs, delivering on mission, better managing enterprise risks, and promoting civic engagement and transparency.The Evidence Act builds on longstanding principles underlying Federal policies and data infrastructure investments supporting information quality, access, protection, and evidence 1 Pub. L. 132 Stat. 5529. 2 Pursuant to the Evidence Act, "evidence" is defined as "information produced as a result of statistical activities conducted for a statistical purpose." See 44 U.S.C. § 3561(6). The term " statistical activities" means "the collection, compilation, processing, or analysis of data for the purpose of describing or making estimates concerning the whole, or relevant groups or components within, the economy, society, or the natural environment and . . . includes the development of methods or resources that support those activities, such as measurement methods, models, statistical classifications, or sampling frames. " See id. § 3561(10). The term "statistical purpose" means "the description, estimation, or analysis of the characteristics of groups, without identifying the individuals or organizations that comprise such groups and ... includes the development, implementation, or maintenance of methods, technical or administrative procedures, or information resources that support [those] purposes. " See id. § 3561(12).