Data quality is meaningful only when it relates to the intended use of the data.
That is, investigators must know in what context a data set is to be used in order to know if it is adequate. The first question addresses the data user's immediate needs. For example, if the data provide evidence strongly in favor of one course of action over another, then the decision maker can proceed knowing that the decision will be supported by unambiguous data. The second question addresses the data user's future needs. For example, if investigators decide to use a certain sampling design at a different location from where the design was first used, they should determine how well the design can be expected to perform given that the outcomes and environmental conditions of the sampling event will be different from those of the original event.