What strategy is most effective for ensuring data quality?

Conducting regular data audits is a highly effective strategy for ensuring data quality because it involves systematically reviewing and evaluating the data to identify errors, inconsistencies, and areas for improvement. Regular audits help organizations maintain the integrity, accuracy, and reliability of their data by providing insights into data management practices and revealing any discrepancies that may arise over time. This ongoing monitoring allows for timely corrections and adjustments to be made, reinforcing the overall data governance framework within the organization.

In contrast, while automating data entry can reduce human errors, it doesn't inherently guarantee data quality, especially if the incoming data is flawed. Restricting data access may enhance security but doesn’t directly address data correctness or completeness and could potentially hinder timely access to data needed for decision-making. Relying on a single data source may simplify data management but also poses risks such as single points of failure and limited perspectives or insights if that source has inaccuracies. Regular audits enable a proactive approach to maintaining high data quality standards, making it the most effective strategy among the provided options.