What is Data Usability? Definition, Examples, and Best Practices

Data usability refers to the ease with which data can be accessed, understood, and used to inform business decisions. It is one of ten dimensions of data quality, along with elements like accuracy, validity, completeness, and consistency. Poor data usability can lead to inconsistent data formats, inadequate documentation, and poor-quality data, all of which can hinder decision-making processes. To measure data usability, one can use table documentation, monitor query successes, and conduct user surveys. To ensure data usability, it is necessary to actively maintain data quality using real-world metrics such as standardizing data formats, implementing an anomaly detection system, and providing proper documentation. Data observability tools can also help enhance data usability initiatives by providing anomaly detection for key objects and related queries.