Don’t be a hoarder!

Don't be a hoarder!

The simple truth is that it's almost "free" to collect data. Or at least that's how it seems.

Set up a field in the database, send out an email and ask for the data, and voila, you're collecting new data.

The problem is that, in many (most?) cases, the data that we start out to collect doesn't get maintained over time, even with the best of intentions. And so, over time, we become data hoarders, keeping data that we really don't need.

I would guess that almost every one of my clients (now several hundred over 25 years) has one or more data points in their AMS that are no longer being used, or if they are being used, haven't been updated in many years. I'd bet the same is true for your organization.

When is the last time you looked at your database and cleaned out what you're no longer using? Is it time to do it again?

Wes's Wednesday Wisdom Archives

Declare victory and move on

June 5, 2019

Declare victory and move on The law of diminishing returns is the point at which the […]

Clean as you go

March 28, 2019

Clean As You Go A good cook or baker knows that, when working in the […]

Baby Steps

March 21, 2019

One of the keys to developing good data management habits is to be aware of […]

Success Requires Discipline

March 14, 2019

When it comes to data management, most of us know what to do; we just don’t […]

Take a moment to be grateful

March 7, 2019

Because we’re so focused on always improving what we have now, it’s easy to overlook […]

KPIs and Dashboards

February 28, 2019

I saw DJ Muller from MemberClicks speak on KPIs (key performance indicators). In his session […]

Documenting Process is Critical

February 22, 2019

When it comes to managing data successfully, process is critical. For example, a client of […]

Motion vs. Action

February 14, 2019

In James Clear’s book Atomic Habits (I recommend it!), he discusses the concept of motion vs. action. […]

Are You Answering Your Calls?

February 7, 2019

I’ve written about this before, but apparently I have to keep repeating it. If you’ve […]

Who do you trust?

January 31, 2019

Who Do You Trust I was reading an article recently about Warren Buffet’s “rules” for […]

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