Spring cleaning, all year long

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like fields and data points that are no longer used, redundant queries and reports, and business processes that are outdated or no longer useful.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

“Humans want to be surrounded by beauty.”

September 24, 2025

“Humans want to be surrounded by beauty.” “Humans want to be surrounded by beauty.” – […]

Data managers vs data consumers

September 17, 2025

Data managers vs data consumers When I work with clients on any data management project, […]

Another universal truth

September 10, 2025

Another universal truth There are many universal truths in data management. Some examples: You will […]

Don’t miss this year’s DAN Science Fair!

September 3, 2025

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.

August 27, 2025

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!

August 20, 2025

Don’t ask if you’re not going to answer! In the past week, on three different […]

Seek forgiveness rather than permission

August 6, 2025

Seek forgiveness rather than permission “Seek forgiveness, not permission.” I can’t remember when I first […]

Is a 360 degree view necessary?

July 30, 2025

Is a 360 degree view necessary? “A 360 degree view of our members should NOT […]

Why data matters

July 23, 2025

Why data matters I write about data because managing our data effectively will help us […]

It’s about process

July 16, 2025

It’s about process I’m in the midst of adding an AI agent to my website […]

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published.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

Scroll to Top