====== Data collection ======

===== Best practices for data collection =====

Collection or creation of data is the first step in the life cycle of data management. In many cases, data already exists but must be found and then cleaned (checked for accuracy and consistency), organized for a specific purpose, saved, shared, and updated. Data collection should be conducted with an awareness of what data is of interest, to whom, and how they will use it, otherwise irrelevant or incomplete data will be collected.