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 the things around the "weeds" are cleaned up, too. I'm referring to things like fields and data points that are no longer used, redundant queries and reports, and business processes that are outdated or no longer useful.
The bad data are the weeds themselves. The fields, queries and reports, and business processes are the gardens that the weeds are growing in.
So while you're weeding, make sure you check the rest of the garden and clean up anything that might contribute to the proliferation of those weeds.
Happy gardening!
![]()
Wes's Wednesday Wisdom Archives
Do we have access to that data?
Do we have access to that data? When I work with my clients on a […]
The three “buckets” of contact data
The three “buckets” of contact data Broadly speaking, when collecting data on contacts (individuals or organizations), […]
Balancing what is possible with what is realistic
Balancing what is possible with what is realistic When I work with clients on technology […]
“Humans want to be surrounded by beauty.”
“Humans want to be surrounded by beauty.” “Humans want to be surrounded by beauty.” – […]
Data managers vs data consumers
Data managers vs data consumers When I work with clients on any data management project, […]
Another universal truth
Another universal truth There are many universal truths in data management. Some examples: You will […]
Don’t miss this year’s DAN Science Fair!
Don’t miss this year’s DAN Science Fair! I’m taking a break from my weekly tips […]
Just start. And it’s never done.
Just start. And it’s never done. Last week I had the opportunity to lead a […]
Don’t ask if you’re not going to answer!
Don’t ask if you’re not going to answer! In the past week, on three different […]
Seek forgiveness rather than permission
Seek forgiveness rather than permission “Seek forgiveness, not permission.” I can’t remember when I first […]
