Measure establishes the size and pattern of the problem using observable evidence. We identify where the data issue appears, how often it occurs, which people, processes and systems it affects, and how much effort is spent finding, checking and correcting it. This prevents a visible symptom from being mistaken for the whole business problem.
The baseline uses consistent units such as staff hours, exception volumes, delayed days, lost margin, excess inventory, repeat work or risk events. Each measure has a source, period and accountable owner, and related effects are kept separate to avoid double counting. The result is a defensible starting point against which improvement can later be proven.