Sex, gender identity, trans status - data collection and publication: guidance

12. Key Questions – Checklist for Data Collectors

This provides a list of the important questions those collecting data must be able to answer while collecting and using data about sex, and trans status.

Purpose

• Why are you collecting data on sex, and/or trans status?
• Are you clear how you are going to actually use the data to improve your services and promote equality?
• Which question or questions best meets your aims and purpose(s) of the data collection?
• Do you need to carry out a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA)^[29]? This is a legal requirement when processing special category data^[30].

Bias

• What are the steps you are taking to avoid bias and maximise response in the data collected?
• How would you know that there are no inherent biases in the data?

Once you have the data

• Does it tell you anything that can be used to improve your services and promote equality?
• How can you share it to maximise its value?
• How have you considered the maintenance of people's privacy in how you manage raw data and publish aggregate information?
• Do any surprising results need to be investigated further?