OUR METHODOLOGY

The data pipeline

Every dataset in our catalog passes through a five-stage pipeline before it reaches you. This process ensures accuracy, consistency, and usability across all sectors and formats.

1. Source identification and verification

We begin by identifying credible data sources relevant to each sector. These include government statistical agencies (such as the Ghana Statistical Service), institutional records, survey instruments, administrative databases, and field-collected data. Every source is evaluated for reliability, recency, and coverage before we proceed.

For primary data collection, we work with trained field enumerators and local partners across Ghana's regions to gather data directly from schools, businesses, farms, health facilities, and households.

2. Data collection

Depending on the dataset, collection methods include structured surveys and questionnaires, institutional data requests and Freedom of Information filings, web scraping from public government portals, manual digitisation of paper-based records, and API integrations with open data platforms.

All collection follows standardised protocols with predefined variables, sampling methods, and quality checkpoints. For survey-based datasets, we document the sampling strategy, response rates, and geographic coverage.

3. Cleaning and validation

Raw data goes through a rigorous cleaning process:

• Deduplication: Identifying and removing duplicate records.
• Missing value treatment: Flagging, imputing, or excluding incomplete records with transparent documentation of the approach used.
• Outlier detection: Statistical methods to identify anomalous values, which are then verified or corrected.
• Standardisation: Consistent formatting of dates, currencies, geographic names, categories, and units across all records.
• Cross-validation: Comparing data points against independent sources where possible to verify accuracy.

4. Documentation and metadata

Every published dataset includes comprehensive documentation:

• Data dictionary: Definitions and descriptions for every variable and column.
• Source notes: Where the data came from, how it was collected, and any limitations.
• Coverage details: Geographic scope, time period, and population represented.
• Version history: When the dataset was first published and when it was last updated.
• Citation information: Ready-to-use citation in multiple academic formats (see our Citation Guide).

5. Format and publication

Datasets are published in multiple formats to suit different workflows: CSV for universal compatibility, Excel for analysts, JSON for developers, SPSS for social scientists, and Shapefile for geospatial data. Each format is tested for integrity before publication.

New datasets are released monthly, and existing datasets are updated on a quarterly or annual cycle depending on the sector and data source.

Quality standards

We hold ourselves to the following standards across every dataset:

• Accuracy: Data reflects real-world conditions as closely as possible, with documented margins of error where applicable.
• Timeliness: Datasets reflect the most recent available data for their sector and geography.
• Completeness: Missing values are minimised and transparently handled; no dataset is published with undocumented gaps.
• Consistency: Variables, formats, and naming conventions are standardised across all datasets.
• Reproducibility: Our methods are documented well enough that a competent analyst could understand and verify our approach.

Limitations and transparency

No dataset is perfect. We are transparent about the limitations of our data, including sample sizes, geographic coverage gaps, temporal constraints, and known biases. These are documented in each dataset's metadata and source notes. If you find an error or have concerns about a dataset, please contact us at info@sgdatalytics.org — we take data quality seriously and will investigate promptly.

Questions?

For detailed questions about the methodology behind a specific dataset, or to discuss custom data collection for your project, reach out to us via our Contact page.