People and Data
Book

People and Data

Uniting to Transform Your Business

Thomas C. Redman
Kogan Page, 2023
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Editorial Rating

8

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Recommendation

Data gives people the capacity to act meaningfully in business, government and private life. Data is the fuel that runs today’s world and the world needs high-quality data. Yet, individuals and businesses often fail to prioritize data when building technological infrastructure, organizing their operations or choosing new tech tools. They focus more often on the technology itself, even though tech only becomes fully productive and valuable when quality data feeds it. “Data doc” Thomas C. Redman urges companies to modernize their approach to and use of data.

Summary

Everyone’s personal and professional lives depend on data.

Data permeates daily life in numerous ways. The daily “step count” your smartphone registers is data, as is your shopping list, meeting appointment book, and calculations of whether you can afford your dream house. Data is everywhere.

Structured data has two dimensions: a “data model” and “data values.” The data model shows what the data is about – aspects of interest, crucial qualities of those aspects and the relationships between them. The data values display the data’s relative importance to the question or questions you are trying to answer. 

Data enables meaningful action in private life and commerce. You need data to anticipate and shop for what you need, for example. You make rational home-purchasing decisions because you have data regarding your anticipated future income. Your product marketing depends on data on sales trends, supply chains and availability. 

Business requires far more complex data than most people need in their private lives. Companies need data for everything from product design and manufacturing to delivery...

About the Author

Thomas C. Redman is the founder and president of Data Quality Solutions.

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    A. 1 year ago
    At ING, we should have regular updates from teams about internal data tools and processes including showing how data quality is managed and how it can be improved.
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    U. K. 2 years ago
    Hi
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      2 years ago
      Hello