The (Data) Doctor Is In...

ADD looks for a data diagnosis...

Being a data management practitioner can be tough.

You're expected to work your data quality magic, solve other people's data problems, and help people get better business outcomes. It's a valuable, worthy and satisfying profession. But people can be infuriating and frustrating, especially when the business user isn't taking responsibility for their own data.

It's a bit like being a Medical Doctor in general practice.

The patent presents with some early indicative symptoms. The MD then performs a full diagnosis and recommends a course of treatment. It's then up to the patient whether or not they take their MD's advice...

AlanDDuncan: "Doctor, Doctor. I get very short of breath when I go upstairs."
MD: Yes, well. Your Body Mass Index is over 30, you've got consistently high blood pressure, your heatbeat is arrhythmic, and cholesterol levels are off the scale."
ADD: "So what does that mean, doctor?"
MD: "It means you're fat, you drink like a fish, you smoke like a chimney, your diet consists of fried food and cakes and you don't do any exercise."
ADD: "I'm Scottish."
MD: "You need to change your lifestyle completely, or you're going to die."
ADD: "Oh. So, can you give me some pills?...."

If you're going to get healthy with your data, you'll going to have to put the pies down, step away from the Martinis and get off the couch folks.

(Originally published on www.OpenMethodology.com)