Understanding your data quality
Our systems are overflowing with data to support both primary and secondary processes. This information is stored in the underlying databases of our transactional systems. We do this to support the steps in our processes and to create a large history of data in our databases. When we start extracting data, some complicated issues can occur: think of different formatting data elements, working with various platforms, or the frequency at which we can capture data. We need to take care that the extraction of data remains clean, consistent, and flowing. Unfortunately, data is not easily extracted from systems and converted into information. According to author Thomas Redman, a data element goes through two basic stages in its life:
- The moment when you first save the data element within the transactional systems
- The moment you use the data element
When we examine data thoroughly, we discover that the majority of our registered data is never...
