“Many mickles make a muckle.”

"Many mickles make a muckle."

"Many mickles make a muckle." - George Washington

Apparently, this was an old Scottish saying (and a favorite of George Washington's) that means "things add up." Over time, many little things can become big things.

This is absolutely true when it comes to managing data. Many little decisions and actions we take will have large and long-term effects on the quality of our data.

As I discuss here, your data is either getting better or getting worse. There is no stasis. Every little positive thing you do (e.g., cleaning up that record you just opened that was incorrect, periodically asking members and customers to check their contact info, making sure you have good documentation, etc.) adds up over time.

There is no one magic wand to improving the quality of your data; it requires lots of little steps over time.

After all, many mickles make a muckle. And who am I to argue with the father of my country?

Wes's Wednesday Wisdom Archives

Problems without solutions are not problems, they are facts of life

December 18, 2024

Problems without solutions are not problems, they are facts of life “Problems without solutions are […]

Perfect is not possible

December 11, 2024

Perfect is not possible We’ve all heard the phrase “Perfect is the enemy of good” and […]

“Different” isn’t necessarily better or worse.

December 4, 2024

“Different” isn’t necessarily better or worse. One of the biggest challenges I face when working […]

The Rule of 100 and 1,000 and automation

November 20, 2024

The Rule of 100 and 1,000 and automation I originally coined the rule of 100 […]

Once you know, what will you do?

November 13, 2024

Once you know, what will you do? I’ve yet to meet a client who didn’t […]

If it’s not in your AMS, why not?

November 6, 2024

If it’s not in your AMS, why not? I like to tell my clients they’ll […]

Why checkboxes and tags are awesome and dangerous

October 30, 2024

Why checkboxes and tags are awesome and dangerous One of the most common functions in […]

Don’t miss obvious engagement data

October 23, 2024

Don’t miss obvious engagement data What I’ve experienced with my clients over the years is […]

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 […]

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published.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

Scroll to Top