Add one, remove one
In the world of home-organizing, there's the "one in, one out" rule. Simply put, for every new item that enters your home, one similar item must leave, helping to maintain a constant level of possessions and prevent clutter accumulation.
This would be a great rule for database managers when considering adding new fields of data to collect!
If staff wants to add a new field to collect a new data point, the first question is "Which data point/field are we going to remove?"
I'm only half-joking. Too often I see my clients adding new fields of data to collect while simultaneously not keeping up with the other data points they are supposed to be already collecting.
So when you think about adding a new field, ask yourself: "Are there other data fields we could remove while we're adding this new one?"
Wes's Wednesday Wisdom Archives
Don’t miss obvious engagement data
Don’t miss obvious engagement data What I’ve experienced with my clients over the years is […]
All data requires active management
All data requires active management It’s a simple fact of data management that is often […]
Documentation is critical for consistency
Documentation is critical for consistency There are so many reasons why documenting your data management […]
Consumer demands change and technology changes
Consumer demands change and technology changes When I work with clients on the selection of […]
Why I write
Why I write Thirty years ago, I started a new job as director of membership […]
DAN – The Data Analytics Network
DAN – The Data Analytics Network I’m a huge fan of users groups (both internal […]
Process before technology
Process before technology In a conversation with a client recently, I was reminded (yet again) […]
Opting out and communication preferences
Opting out and communication preferences Last week’s newsletter discussed the need for associations to collect mobile […]
Are you collecting mobile phone numbers? You should be.
Are you collecting mobile phone numbers? You should be. Are you collecting (and using) the […]
Spend less time on data management and more on higher value activities
Spend less time on data management and more on higher value activities Data management is very […]