Blog: Wes’s thoughts, articles, and insights

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My most recent posts

Blog post themes over 20 years…

By Wes Trochlil | August 5, 2026

Blog post themes over 20 years… I’ve been writing blog posts for nearly 20 years now. WordPress tells me I’ve written over 1,200 posts. So I asked AI to analyze my 1,200+ posts and give me my top three themes. Here’s what it came up with: Data management and data quality – these posts emphasize that data management is […]

Lots of feedback is a GOOD thing!

By Wes Trochlil | July 29, 2026

Lots of feedback is a GOOD thing! A client in the middle of their AMS implementation said to me: “I’m getting a LOT of feedback from staff about what the system can and cannot do. Is that good or bad?” My response: “Feedback means they’re actually in the system and using it! That’s a good […]

Doing the reps…

By Wes Trochlil | July 22, 2026

Doing the reps… I’m helping a client with the implementation of a new AMS. During a recent call, their internal project manager said “I’m still not as familiar with the system as I’d like to be. I need to get in there more often and play around.” I responded: “That’s exactly right. I suggest you […]

Add one, remove one

By Wes Trochlil | July 15, 2026

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 […]

Spring cleaning, all year long

By Wes Trochlil | July 8, 2026

Spring cleaning, all year long I talk frequently about “weeding the garden,” the idea that proactively managing your data, consistently, over time, is a better practice than trying to clean up the data in one big effort once every couple of years. But beyond the data itself, weeding the garden should also include making sure all […]

Older Posts

Painting the Bridge

May 24, 2023

Painting the Bridge According to this article, the Golden Gate Bridge is painted continuously year-round. That is, rather than painting […]

Maintenance isn’t sexy

May 17, 2023

Maintenance isn’t sexy I remember reading once long ago that one of the reasons our country’s infrastructure (e.g., bridges, roads) […]

“Will I still have a job when this is done?”

May 10, 2023

“Will I still have a job when this is done? While working with a client on a new AMS implementation […]

Evolution, not revolution

May 3, 2023

Evolution, not revolution I don’t recall where I first heard it many decades ago, but the phrase “evolution, not revolution” […]

The power of the users’ group

April 26, 2023

The power of the users’ group Recently in an online users group forum for an AMS provider, a poster asked […]

Who is your data evangelist?

April 19, 2023

Who is your data evangelist? I was recently talking with a client of mine about a new position they are […]

Who is your data evangelist?

April 19, 2023

Who is your data evangelist? I was recently talking with a client of mine about a new position they are […]

Ratio of Data to Errors

April 12, 2023

Ratio of Data to Errors One of the elements of a good data governance plan is establishing data quality metrics. […]

Back to basics

April 5, 2023

Back to basics Over the past couple of years I’ve noticed that some AMS vendors are adding in more sophisticated […]

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