7 things to know before formulating your organization’s quality strategy
According to IDC estimates, poor data quality cost organizations $3 trillion just in the United States last year, while the size of the big data industry is around $136 billion globally. In addition to this, the rate at which data is being generated (structured data alone growing by 40% annually) brings a sense of urgency and seriousness to include data quality in an organization’s strategy. Such a strategy needs to have a control mechanism as well as policies, practices and solutions that are comprehensive, yet rational and relevant for all the stakeholders involved.
An effective quality strategy is always at the heart of every organization and is embedded in the organization’s culture. It defines data quality management objectives of the organization, sets expectations for the quality of information and lays the foundation for collaborative implementation of data governance policies and procedures.
The most important of all is building a Quality Culture, which inculcates in every individual a sense of ownership regarding Quality. It not only encourages one to do the right thing the first time around, but retrospectively formalize learnings from past mistakes to avoid reoccurrences as well, thus reinforcing the pride in one’s work.
Here are 7 things you should keep in mind while formulating a quality strategy for your organization:
1. Measure where you stand: The first step is setting up measurement frameworks to assess the current state of quality in the organization.
2. Fix the cause, not the symptoms: The idea is not to fixate on errors but to dig deeper – issues need to be fixed after assessing the root cause, or the solution will not be long lasting.
3. Prevention is better than cure: Utilize the learnings in identifying early signs and symptoms of problems and take preemptive action to prevent a fall out.
4. Quality is not an after-thought: Quality efforts need to be at the center of your organization and not at the periphery.
5. Everyone is responsible: Developing a culture of accountability right from the CEO and CIO to the entry level employees – the onus of quality cannot just lie with the Quality Management department.
6. Collaboration is key: Communication across groups and stakeholders is very important to avoid any ambiguities in the requirement of data and its movement across departments.
7. Keep improving: Learn from the experience and keep evolving by redefining quality goals.
Also, read our infographic on “Cultivating a quality conscious culture” within an organization.