Coping With Data Chaos

The world of data is nothing if not challenging. And a headache. Coupled with heartburn and an occasional sneezing fit.

If you manage, merge, maintain, move or manipulate data, you know what I am talking about.

Working with legacy systems, disparate systems, human error. Maintaining records, updating records, correcting files.  The world of data continues to – and will for the foreseeable future – chew up time and resources of organizations.

As if that isn’t enough, there is the never-ending catch up game. Chasing system improvements as the company and its business changes. The company changes faster than you can catch up with improved systems.

Worse still, add in rapidly evolving technology. Just about the time you get the new stuff installed and running right (or almost right) – blammo, here comes the next version. Or a better product that can do more, faster, for less.

The problem is that we can get so caught up within the chaos that we usually resort to what has always been done to fix the problem: hire more people. Who hasn’t heard a story of one kind or another about the guy who says “don’t bother me with the solution, I’m too busy fighting the problem?”

For example, there is a healthcare company not too far a drive from our offices that is swamped in data problems. They just delayed the consideration of a low-cost solution that would virtually eliminate their headaches and reduce the chaos forever. Their response to the opportunity: “gotta wait until we can get caught up before we can even think about it”. Hmmmmm…

Yet experience tells us that hiring more people to “fix” the problem does not a happy data management function make. Nor does it please those people in the bean counter offices.

Here’s the deal. The next time you find yourself immersed in chaos (once again, I know, I know), try this. Instead of reaching for the phone to hire more people (temps) or upping the overtime ante for the weekend, step back. Take a deep breath. And consider that there just might be a solution or two out there in the marketplace that can help you manage your data demands better, faster, and with more accuracy. 

For less money, and a whole lot less hassle.

It’s out there. You can get it. You CAN solve the problem instead of attacking the symptom.

And become a hero at the same time – to your people, your boss. And maybe even those bean counters.

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