Wes’s Wednesday Wisdom

Longfellow and data management “We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing while others judge us by what we have already done.” – From the novel Kavanagh by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow And what does that have to do with data management, you ask? The first half says “we judge ourselves by what we feel capable […]

Do you really need all that historical data? A question I’ll often get from my clients as they’re making the transition from one AMS to another is “How much historical data do we need to convert?” My preferred answer is always “None.” The easiest data conversions are those with the least amount of data. But

AI actually requires thinking “I don’t think AI introduces a new kind of thinking. It reveals what actually requires thinking.” – Chip Huyen, author of the book AI Engineering. I have very little to add to the current expansive discussion of AI surrounding us, but this simple quote encapsulates an important point. AI won’t replace the thinking

It’s not the mistakes, but how you respond Recently a client was complaining about a bug that had been introduced in the latest release of their software. She was very upset that the bug hadn’t been caught before the release. While I understand her frustration, bugs are a reality of software. The real test here is how the

The hidden costs of bad data Nobody likes bad data, and presumably we’re all working tirelessly to minimize it. After all, bad data has a price. Some obvious “costs” of bad data include poor deliverability of email/snail mail, inability to target market/message, inability to analyze data effectively, and potential reputational embarrassment. But there are also many

Don’t let your customers edit their names online! This issue came up recently and I was surprised because I thought we were past this. The issue is this: If you allow your members and customers to view and edit their profile online, as a rule, you should never allow them to edit their first or

Once is an accident, twice is coincidence, three times is a pattern. We’ve probably all heard this phrase: “Once is an accident, twice is a coincidence, three times is a pattern.” What this means is that when we see an actual pattern of behaviors or results (and not just random one-offs), there is an underlying issue to

“Every association does this.” One of the most significant values I bring to my clients is perspective. Specifically the perspective of having worked with several hundred associations of all sizes and types. It is not uncommon for me to hear from my clients “I don’t understand why our AMS doesn’t do things this particular way. Every

Trust your gut When I help associations with selection of a new technology system (e.g., AMS), I have a time-tested process to follow to help them make the best decision for their organization and their needs. With this process it is not unusual for my clients to narrow their choices down to two really good options.

“People more frequently require to be reminded than informed.” “People more frequently require to be reminded than informed.” – Samuel Johnson I came across this quote recently and immediately thought “Exactly!” A lot of my consulting is actually reminding my clients to do things they already know to do, but have allowed themselves to get