While teaching several classes in Brisbane, Australia recently, I discussed when it is best to start thinking about each of the Conformed Dimensions of Data Quality (CDDQ) within the context of a typical waterfall Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC). We will not cover each dimension per phase here in this blog, but I thought I'd just cover Precision as an example and provide my thoughts on the other dimensions relating to each of the phases as a separate document.
On a recent Southwest flight I was reminded how easy it is for important business processes to fail. The flight attendant came on the speakerphone and politely asked if Eve Adamson (pseudonym) was aboard the aircraft, and if so could ring the attendant call button. If you fly much you know this is a very common occurrence. But if you think about it, this breaks all the rules of common sense and the TSA boarding procedures.
From January 23-25, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) conducted their annual count of unsheltered homeless with the help of more than 8000 volunteers. On the evening of the 24th, I joined the #TheyCountWillYou effort in Los Angeles to count the homeless in the city of Cudahy. As you’ll see in the description of steps conducted the process is thorough and intentional.
During a family visit to a local pumpkin patch (Uesugi Farms) this fall, I was looking for a gas station. The corner, just across from the Farm (yellow arrow below), was identified as a gas station on my car's GPS, but that was just a dirt parking lot. Google's satellite imagery shows this as well in the image below. There was, however, a Valero gas station just down the street, but even that didn't show up in Google's list of local gas stations (blue arrow).
In October, during my travels to the International Conference on Information Quality (ICIQ), held at the University of Arkansas Little Rock (UALR), I rented a Toyota Yaris from the Dollar rental car company. When I returned the Yaris, the friendly staff member casually asked if I had just driven around town, and I said yes, but asked why they were asking me.
"For the data industry, standardized definitions of data quality dimensions are needed, just as other professions, such as accounting have agreed-upon concepts and terms like “chart of accounts”." --Danette McGilvray, Granite Falls Consulting
