Be careful about getting tangled

Be careful about getting tangled

“We had done a lot to tangle ourselves up.” - Bridget Walsh, Chief Operating Officer at Emergency Nurses Association

In a discussion at AMS Fest this week, this is how Bridget Walsh characterized what their AMS of 17+ years looked like as they worked to move from their legacy system to a new one.

I love this quote for two reasons:

  1. The use of the word "tangle." It's very descriptive of what many AMSes look like after years of use.
  2. The ownership of the entanglement ("We had done a lot..."). Data management systems don't just tangle themselves. They become tangled for many reasons including neglect, staff turnover, outdated/ineffective business rules, and lack of documentation.

Seventeen years in one system is a very good run, so ENA should be proud of that. But I appreciated Bridget's acknowledgment of ENA's need to "untangle" where they were as they moved to a new system.

So what are you doing to make sure your AMS doesn't get too tangled up?

Wes's Wednesday Wisdom Archives

All data requires active management

October 16, 2024

All data requires active management It’s a simple fact of data management that is often […]

Documentation is critical for consistency

October 9, 2024

Documentation is critical for consistency There are so many reasons why documenting your data management […]

Consumer demands change and technology changes

October 2, 2024

Consumer demands change and technology changes When I work with clients on the selection of […]

Why I write

September 25, 2024

Why I write Thirty years ago, I started a new job as director of membership […]

DAN – The Data Analytics Network

September 18, 2024

DAN – The Data Analytics Network I’m a huge fan of users groups (both internal […]

Process before technology

September 11, 2024

Process before technology In a conversation with a client recently, I was reminded (yet again) […]

Opting out and communication preferences

September 4, 2024

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.

August 28, 2024

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

August 21, 2024

Spend less time on data management and more on higher value activities Data management is very […]

Change anything you want, except your name!

August 7, 2024

Change anything you want, except your name! This is an oldy but a goody, but […]

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top