Data management refers to the practice of collecting, storing, and using data securely and efficiently. There are several data management challenges that professionals face on a daily basis. Working with incorrect data and dealing with data security threats are two examples of some common challenges data managers face on a daily basis.
Since data plays a key role in organizations, these challenges usually need to be resolved in short periods of time. In this article, we’ll give an overview of daily data management problems and how you can tackle them.
Challenges Data Managers Face Daily
Data management is a challenging career. It requires knowledge of a variety of disciplines, such as statistics and machine learning. Some common data management challenges are dealing with errors, insufficient storage capacity, dealing with compliance requirements, and facing data security threats.
Common Data Management Problems
- Accuracy issues with data
- Insufficient and careless storage
- Bad data management
- Dealing with requirements and data governance efforts
- Unauthorized and illegal access to data management systems
Common Data Management Challenges and How to Overcome Them
Accuracy Issues With Data
One of the most common data management problems is dealing with incorrect data. Raw data can be flawed, out of date, or incorrect. For example, collecting data manually can result in human-caused errors. Businesses can lose huge amounts of money by making decisions based on incorrect data.
Implement Better Data Management Practices
It’s crucial to implement better data management practices. This means defining the roles and expectations for dealing with data, using appropriate file naming conventions, and investing in quality data-management software. Implementing these practices will make it easier to prevent data issues and resolve them more efficiently when they appear.
Insufficient and Careless Storage
In order to work with vast amounts of data, organizations have to invest in high-tech servers to store data. Companies should invest in sizable data storage solutions to prevent any issues that can falter their workflow.
Have Multiple Data Storage Solutions
A great solution when dealing with insufficient data storage capacity is working with cloud storage software. It’s important to keep in mind your current and long-term storage requirements when choosing a data storage solution because your data storage might need to scale up in the future.
Bad Data Management
One of the major data management challenges that companies face on a daily basis is keeping all the different systems they use. Whether it’s due to new acquisitions or inconsistent deployment of technologies, it’s not uncommon for organizations to have disparate systems managing similar data at the same time. These differences are a huge obstacle to dealing with data in an efficient manner.
Real-Time Data Streaming
Companies should opt for real-time data streaming. These can help them work with all the data from the moment it’s generated or published. Instead of syncing all the stored data at intervals, the data is synced immediately through an automated process. Not only will this save time, but you’ll ensure there are no errors when syncing the data stored.
Dealing With Requirements and Data Governance Efforts
Companies need to demonstrate the maturity of their security programs and controls to external auditors to satisfy compliance requirements. Dealing with compliance requirements is some of the biggest challenges data managers face. In many instances, inadequate data governance leads to non-compliance with regulatory mandates.
Implement Good Data Governance Practices
It’s important for organizations to have a plan that outlines their practices for meeting compliance requirements. In order to do this, try to understand the type of data you’re dealing with on a daily basis. It’s also necessary to determine which security standards you’re required to follow in order to illustrate the practices needed for data security compliance.
Unauthorized and Illegal Access to Data Management Systems
It’s important to ensure data is secure from outside threats. One of the most difficult data management challenges organizations face is keeping data secure. Security challenges include data being stolen or misused, liability challenges regarding how data is stored, and data being accidentally deleted.
Prioritizing Data Security
In order to deal with data security threats, data managers need to prioritize data security. This can be done by training their team members on how to handle data properly, ensuring all processes meet security compliance requirements, and having strategies for handling any potential security threats. Data management software can also help keep data secure and safe.
Useful Data Management Tools That Will Make Your Life Easier as a Data Manager
| Tool | Challenge Tackled | Applications | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stitch Data | Accuracy issues with data | Move data from sources into a data warehouse, schedule data replication, handle errors and receive alerts when errors are caught | From $100 for 5 million rows per month to $1,250 for 300 million rows per month for the standard version |
| Tableau Data Management | Bad data management | Sync data from different sources, give visualization access, and work with dashboards for data exploration | Tableau Creator: $70 per user each month. Tableau Explorer: $42 per user each month. Tableau Viewer: $15 per user each month |
| Google Cloud Platform | Insufficient and careless storage | Tools to work with code-based data management, machine learning engine for advanced analysis, Google BigQuery for tabular data storage, Cloud Pub and Cloud data transfer for intake of data from different sources |
Google Cloud offers a pay-as-you-go pricing structure, where you only pay for the services you use. Pricing varies by product and usage |
| Magnitude Kalido MDM | Dealing with requirements and data governance efforts | Automated data governance, invalid data is automatically routed, implement governance practices to control data management processes | Available upon request |
| SailPoint File Access Manager | Unauthorized and illegal access to data management systems | Automatically grant access to minimize risks, identify potentially malicious activity, and automate compliance certifications | Available upon request |
Resources to Overcome Data Management Challenges and Become a Better Professional
- Database. This Reddit forum connects professionals that work with databases and other like-minded individuals.
- Data Governance Playbook. With this playbook, created by the Federal Data Strategy, you’ll learn the first steps to working with important data while respecting privacy and confidentiality requirements.
- Data Management Skillbuilding Hub. This repository, created by DataONE, offers free educational resources regarding data management, such as lessons, best practices, and videos.
- Introduction to SQL. DataCamp’s free introductory course will teach you the basics of querying tables in relational databases such as MySQL. By learning SQL, you’ll gain knowledge of databases, which is crucial if you want to work in data management.
- Research Data Management for Purdue. This repository created by Purdue University provides an online working space and data-sharing platform for professionals working in the data management field.
Is Becoming a Data Manager a Good Career Choice?
Yes, becoming a data manager is a good career choice. Data management has become one of the fastest-growing career paths in tech because there’s a growing demand for professionals who can extract insights from large amounts of data. As a result, data managers can find a wide variety of job opportunities with competitive salaries and plenty of benefits.
Data Manager Salary and Job Outlook
Data managers have high salaries and a positive job outlook. According to PayScale, the average salary of a data manager is around $66,196. Furthermore, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the job outlook of data managers is about 8 percent in the next ten years.
Next Steps in Your Data Management Journey
If you want to advance your career as a data manager, you can start by enrolling in data management bootcamps or getting a data management certification. You can also apply for an entry-level position or opt for a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA), as many companies are looking for data managers with advanced degrees in business management.
Data Management Challenges FAQ
No, it’s possible to become a data manager without a Bachelor’s Degree in Data Management or a related field. You can start by learning the basics of data management through bootcamps, and by gaining some experience with an entry-level position in database management. Getting a certification in data management can also help you kickstart your career as a data manager.
Data management is important because it plays a crucial role in an organization’s data environment. Effective data management processes help avoid security breaches, privacy issues, and regulatory compliance requirements. Moreover, data management provides businesses with better performance and analysis tools that help make better decisions.
Data managers ensure that information is safely stored and accessible when needed. Some of the main responsibilities and challenges data managers face every day include creating policies for effective data management and ensuring digital databases are protected from security breaches.
Some of the most common challenges data managers face daily are incorrect data, insufficient storage capacity, dealing with compliance requirements, and with security threats or everyday cyber security problems. Additional data management challenges include working with multiple data storage and working with inadequate data management processes.
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