Spring Cleaning… But Make It Data
As spring unfolds, I reflect on the need for purposeful data collection to drive effective decisions.
Hello,
Spring is approaching, and I want to spend more time outside than in.
This also means less research (the serious kind) but a lot more thinking. When I get outside, whether throwing the ball for the dogs or taking walks, I think. A lot.
One thing that kept coming up was my last email, which, without explicitly saying so, was really about data—and how we tend to think we need more than we do.
You've heard me say it before: just-in-case-data is a no-go. But that is easy to say without context.
And how do you define just-in-case data anyway?
Nowhere does it say what specific data you can collect and use. No list of no-go data. No database of forbidden data fields.
But at the same time, it says a lot.
It says we need to have a purpose.
Purpose.
That's really what it all comes down to.
All the other stuff- necessary, consent, legal basis- could be needed, but in the end, you can't find any of that if you don't know the purpose.
Back when I ran my agency, and all we did was measurement, we said it this way: "What action would this data drive?"
Think about that. If you collect the data (regardless of what it is), what action does it drive? What purpose does it have? What functions does it serve?
We are so quick to collect it all. We may need it. In 5 years, for some random YoY analysis. In 6 months, we suddenly decided to personalise on this random parameter we (luckily) were collecting without knowing why.
But ultimately this all results in an overwhelming clusterfuck of data which causes:
decision fatigue
an increased risk surface
a cluttered database
Essentially, it lacks any strategy and restricts any real decision making and learning. It hinders that "data-drive" ethos your company wants to live by.
And we are not even talking about compliance yet. Just think about it; you will need to determine which of those data are personal data (and remember, the more random bits you have as you combine them, the more likely they are to become personal data). Then you need to define the purpose, necessity, legal basis, etc. for each of those personal data you are processing.
It's a lot. Believe me. I've been there.
So that you have a clear data strategy. And to make compliance a lot easier. You need to:
Know what data you are collecting.
Determine why you are collecting it.
Determine what action it drives.
Once you've done that, the hard part is done.
You have a map.
You have actions.
It'll be easier for you to drive decisions with the data.
It'll be easier to explain the reason for collecting the data to legal.
It'll be clearer to everyone where the data is coming from, going, and doing.
So, where do you start?
Map your data. What are you collecting, and where and how does it flow?
Determine why you are collecting each bit. You may need it to process payment, or you may want it to optimise your website.
Now that you have a clear understanding of it all, you'll have realised there is a bunch of data that you have no idea why you are collecting. And if you can't figure it out (and none of the stakeholders can), pause it. See what happens.
Do that over and over.
Question all of it.
Then (and this takes a long time), start looking at your overall goals. You KPIs. Your tasks and how they are measured. Reassess each one to understand the minimum data you need to achieve your purpose well. What do you need to do to reach the goal, measure the KPI, or do the task well? Start with only the minimum and take it from there. You can always add more if you need to. But once you are collecting it, I promise you won't stop collecting it unless you go back to step one.
WTF of FTW?
Now, really, neither in this case. It's an email rant, after all. But just-in-case data gets a WTF from me.
But.
None of this is saying don't collect. None of this is saying don't collect so much. All I'm saying is know what and why you are collecting it. Ultimately, it's about having a clear strategy (and adjusting it as needed), which will make all efforts related to the data easier. Including compliance.
x
Siobhan