I used to think that I was overly sensitive to data issues given my profession. I can't help but trace almost all issues back to data problems. The fact that we're in the Information Age might explain why data problems seem to be at the heart of many issues. Nonetheless, look a bit deeper and you'll see that data is often the common denominator.
We had a case locally where a bus, that was too tall for a footbridge overpass, tried to drive under it anyway. You can guess the result (see: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/359497_bus18.html). A cursory review of the circumstances shows that data problems were at the heart of this issue. For example, the GPS unit the driver was using is programmable for car, bus, or motorcycle. The driver set it for "bus". The expectation/assumption from the driver was that the GPS unit would know if a route contained hazards that were specific to buses. It seems like a fair assumption given the choice of settings. Despite the indications of the bus height (within the bus) and the overpass height (big yellow sign on the side of the overpass), the driver tried to drive under the footbridge. The lack of GPS data about the footbridge as a hazard to buses contributed to this issue.
Luckily, the bus accident did not result in any serious injuries. There have been other data problems at the root of much more serious issues, however, especially in the medical field. Pharmacy errors are the subject of news stories all too frequently, and some of those errors end tragically. One doesn't have to do much more than search the Internet for data error stories to find daily occurrences of issues where data is a contributing cause. This isn't a case of someone being overly sensitive to data issues and seeing them because they're top-of-mind. The next time you encounter a problem, look deeper. Data is likely the problem!
Friday, October 31, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Data Quality - A Case of Common Courtesy and Consideration
The term "data" often conjures up images of computer rooms and technicians. Although data are the building blocks for information, knowledge, wisdom, and enlightenment, they have become common elements of our everyday lives. Technology accelerated the creation and consumption of information, moving us squarely into the Information Age. Clearly, when the quality of data and information isn't adequate, our everyday lives can be adversely impacted. So, what does all this have to do with common courtesy?
What happens when someone doesn't put the lid down tightly on the garbage can? The next person to take out the garbage can be faced with a huge mess to clean up. What about when someone fails to replenish the paper towels when they run out? It may be that the next person who has to immediately address a major spill won't have the paper towels to do the job. Those scenarios are pretty common and the recipient of the garbage mess or the lack of paper towels is likely thinking, "if only so-and-so had...".
The idea is that if the people not putting the lid on tight or using up the last of the paper towels had been thinking about, aware of, or cared about what people's experiences would be like who would inherit their mess or lack of paper towels, there wouldn't be a mess and the roll of paper towels would be there for the next calamity. Common courtesy suggests that people consider others who come after them and ensure those people are set up to succeed. That kind of consideration requires understanding what the needs of others are and doing things to ensure those needs are met.
Data quality is no different. True data quality improvement comes from behavior changes in people. Technology plays a part, for sure, but if people begin to understand who uses the data they create and how to create the data in a way that sets the next people up for success, the overall state of data will improve...simply because people change the way they think about data and about others who use it.
Do you know who uses the data you create and are you doing what's necessary to set those people up for success?
What happens when someone doesn't put the lid down tightly on the garbage can? The next person to take out the garbage can be faced with a huge mess to clean up. What about when someone fails to replenish the paper towels when they run out? It may be that the next person who has to immediately address a major spill won't have the paper towels to do the job. Those scenarios are pretty common and the recipient of the garbage mess or the lack of paper towels is likely thinking, "if only so-and-so had...".
The idea is that if the people not putting the lid on tight or using up the last of the paper towels had been thinking about, aware of, or cared about what people's experiences would be like who would inherit their mess or lack of paper towels, there wouldn't be a mess and the roll of paper towels would be there for the next calamity. Common courtesy suggests that people consider others who come after them and ensure those people are set up to succeed. That kind of consideration requires understanding what the needs of others are and doing things to ensure those needs are met.
Data quality is no different. True data quality improvement comes from behavior changes in people. Technology plays a part, for sure, but if people begin to understand who uses the data they create and how to create the data in a way that sets the next people up for success, the overall state of data will improve...simply because people change the way they think about data and about others who use it.
Do you know who uses the data you create and are you doing what's necessary to set those people up for success?
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