Being connected means having access to real-time information at the swipe of a screen or the opening of an app, says Anthony Rodriguez, solutions manager for BI-Blue Consulting.
But with business users increasingly relying on cloud or shared service storage as a repository for information, does using more than one device impact the quality of the data being used?
There can be no arguing the fact that data has become an integral tool for managing a business. Not only can it help monitor the performance of a company, but it also enables decision-makers to apply statistical and data discovery models for business improvements. Of course, making the right kind of decisions relies on the accuracy of the data being analysed.
While the majority of companies appreciate the value of having real-time access to quality data and applying statistical models and people continue to rely on multiple devices, the potential impact on the integrity of that data cannot be underestimated. There is still a lot of work to be done on the profiling and preparation. A data scientist now either must have very strong data management skills (integration, quality and modelling) or request assistance from persons that do before applying business value analysis and analytics.
We can all attest to the increase in the amount of data at our disposal. Yet, the benefit of having data coming from multiple sources is that single user profiles can be created to help manage the influx of information. Relying on the cloud to store data also means that there will be a natural decrease of sharing data files. Accessing data from a central point using multiple devices will continue to increase as will making it accessible to various users.
From a management perspective, there is a higher degree of complexity interfacing in a multi-device environment. Each device brings with it an integration point that has to be secured and controlled. And even though we are saving our data in central locations, using multiple devices means that each of those need to download data from the source.
Adding to the pressure of the IT manager is the governance aspect.
Think information security, compliancy, and adhering to other corporate (and regulatory) policies. In a way, centralised data does make this governance slightly easier. Companies can apply rules to how data is stored and shared across multiple devices. This is especially important in a BYOD (bring your own device) world. So for example, an employee might be able to access everything from the work laptop but cannot download certain files on his or her personal tablet.
As different devices process data in different ways, there is always an element of risk on the accuracy and relevance of the information being accessed. Just think if a statistical application on a device has been designed to display yearly calculated values, the detail (daily or monthly) may have been prepared/smoothed to emphasise trends and patterns. So for the detail data to be classified “accurate” the user must be aware of the preparation/smoothing rules.
Irrespective of the amount of devices being used to access data, companies need to adopt a back to basics approach in determining the accuracy of information through effective data management and governance infrastructures.