Event data feels precise because every record has a timestamp. Precision is not the same as completeness. Instrumentation changes, retries and identity rules can all alter the story.
Run five basic checks
- Confirm the event definition matches current behaviour.
- Plot volume over time and annotate releases.
- Check duplicates, retries and missing identifiers.
- Compare event totals with a trusted operational source.
- Inspect representative journeys, not only aggregates.
Document what remains unknown. A useful analysis can tolerate limitations when decision-makers can see them.
Keep validation close to reporting
Repeat the checks as part of each reporting cycle. Quiet changes in the app can otherwise turn a stable metric into a misleading one.