Keeping Up with Tech: Timeless Data Practices

By Design or By Nature? 

The eerie technology in ChatGPT? The latest iPhones and iPads? All these newest innovations are at best six months from being completely replaced, relative to what else is on the market.  

With so little time to stop and smell the roses, it’s hard not to wonder: could it be that this rapid turnover is by design, or simply the nature of technological advancement? 

Planned obsolescence (what a mouthful) is when consumer goods just don’t last long because the manufacturer has frequent changes in design, terminates their supply of spare parts, and/or uses nondurable materials. 

It’s interesting because this is a mix of interconnected forces at play. A desire to always get a good bargain on one end and the obsession with cutting costs (even at the cost of quality) to produce cheaper products faster at the other, birthing the Frankenstein situation in the market we have today. 

Timeless Data Practices in an Ever-Changing Field 

In data management, however, certain fundamentals remain constant over time. The way information is processed, and the systems used may continue evolving, but some general data practices are enduring principles.  

Examples include: 

1. Data Integrity: Ensuring data is accurate, consistent, and reliable over its lifecycle. 
2. Data Security: Protecting data from unauthorized access and breaches.
3. Data Storage: Efficiently storing data so it can be easily accessed and managed. 
4. Data Governance: Policies and procedures to manage data availability, usability, integrity, and security. 

Data storage and management are here to stay. The question arises: when will the day come that makes us completely re-think the way we approach data management? 

Preparing for the Evolution of Thought in Data Management 

To prepare for the inevitable evolution of thought in data management, it’s essential to keep our eyes open, ears to the ground, and maintain a steady stream of networking and learning amongst peers.  

Anybody who stays in a silo or insists on becoming the king of their own island is digging their own grave. By fostering a culture of continuous learning and collaboration, you can remain at the forefront of data practices, ready to adapt and evolve with the changing landscape. 

And it’s not just about staying current. It’s about futureproofing your business by investing in robust data practices now, before the next wave of changes hits. That means adopting tools and processes that allow your data to grow and evolve without causing breakdowns in efficiency, security, or accessibility.

So while the half-life of knowledge in IT is short, the fundamentals of data management provide a stable foundation. By preparing for the evolution of thought, we can continue to improve and innovate in data practices, ensuring its security, integrity, and accessibility in a rapidly changing world. 

And speaking of innovating…if you’re ready to see how address validation can futureproof your business, schedule a consultation with one of our data quality specialists.