The posts concerning data credibility are absolutely spot on – but their relevancy doesn’t stop with challenges around hard data.

Reading through them, the observations that jumped out:

• repercussions if the information is inaccurate
• need to analyze and ensure the integrity of the data
• shifting focus on going to the actual source of the data rather than applying a Band-Aid approach to the bad data
• Chevron’s use of a process to ensure that the right decisions are made using the right information

All of these can be applied to the entire business intelligence process, including the identification, access and analysis of secondary information, including data.  Think about data you locate in industry trade publications, in Wall Street analyst reports, even in sources of market research, such as Marketline/Datamonitor, Euromonitor, or EIU.  You can’t just take the data for granted, assume that it is correct.  You need to question, probe and understand many facets, including the originating source of the data, methodologies around the data gathering process, the accuracy, integrity and bias of the source of the data (both original and published) which includes understanding something about the intended audience and purpose/motivation for the data creation/use as well.

And like Chevron, you must have a process (remember the  discussions around the necessity for “Planning the Work” and “Working the Plan” in your fall’13 MP class and the spring’14 BI workshop).  Having these in place provides you and your team with a framework that, if applied correctly, helps ensure that you avoid using bad data, using unsubstantiated insights for your analysis and recommendations.

Last Fall in MP, Professor Noonan introduced you to a few BI frameworks, and we briefly mentioned a few more in the BI workshop.  I am attaching more detailed discussions around 4 of these frameworks (what we are calling Business Intelligence Briefs) which speak so directly to your data credibility threads.

Business Intelligence BRIEFS-4_Information Gathering Plan Business Intelligence BRIEFS-3_Four Avenues for Gathering Intelligence Business Intelligence BRIEFS-5_Owners of Information and Motivations Business Intelligence BRIEFS-2_Five Dimensions of BI