Like it or not, they are not getting away from Data Quality that easily.
You can’t have Data Control without data accuracy (if I have control of my car, and the speedometer says I’m going 30mph, but I’m really going 80mph, do I really have control of my car?).
Data Quality is still, and always will be, a fundamental necessity when dealing with data.
While some business users think IT just takes care of that, in the best cases, you may be accessing data from various systems with various levels of Data Quality, and varying standardization methods.
Even “good” data, taken from two systems in two different formats, can quickly turn into “bad” data.
Data Quality is a part of many data conversations, and will continue to be an integral component to Data Control.
3.
Agility Agility speaks to the tools you use to gain Data Control.
To make use of the data, you need to have a tool that can be used by the business members of your team.
These may be “data” people (business analysts, data analysts, statisticians), but likely not “technical” people (programmers and system engineers).
With that in mind, the tools used need to consider that different audience and the different needs they require around ease-of-use.
Ideally they are intuitive and can help you understand your information, fix discrepancies and consolidate records across systems.
Data Control really is about access, accuracy and agility.
It will take some work for the business to gain data control, and stakeholders really need to think about the skills they have available and what they can leverage internally and externally from third parties to make that data control a reality.
But remember, once the business has control of that data, they are on the hook.
IT shifts to become the “safe deposit box” of data, rather than the rulers of data (it’s not the banks job to build a collage of the old photos in your safe deposit box – they just keep them safe – you’re responsible for the result).
It’s a lot of responsibility, but the opportunities that having Data Control provide for the business are limitless.
And to leave on a kitschy, 80s pop culture note, perhaps in the future you’ll be able to exclaim those immortal words from Janet Jackson’s popular 80’s hit, “I’m in Control!.(And I love it!)”.
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