As data research and analysis become more accessible, it seems as if every company has included data management techniques in their business processes. However, being up-to-date with the best data management methods requires more than purchasing expensive data management tools or software.
According to PayScale, the average data manager earns $67,402 annually, with higher-level data managers earning over $100,000 per year. To become an expert in this field, you must understand different data management methods.
In this article, discover different data management techniques, including how to safely store data, and determine the tools you need to be conventional, traditional, and tech-savvy.
Best Data Management Technique Examples
Your data management strategies should not only revolve around using the latest management tools. Here are some data management techniques you can learn to improve your skills and increase customer satisfaction.
Customer Data Management
Since most organizations are customer-based, managing customer data is crucial to the success of the business. This technique involves requesting contact details, product details, and feedback from a customer during any interactions. It is a smart business strategy to keep tabs on customers’ current info as it shows that you’re organized and invested in your client.
Appointing a Data Custodian
A data owner or proprietor is different from a data custodian. The data custodian is accountable for the data content, configuration management, consistency, and accuracy. Data custodians ensure technical standards, policies, backup, and restoration of data. This role is one of the many defensive strategies that keep data monitored and safe.
Data Massage
Data massaging is removing data that is not accurate or poorly formatted. If you have a report where even just three values aren’t correct, the data is inaccurate. As a data manager, you need to source accurate data and input the proper results. If more than half of the results are skewed, it’s advised to delete the entire data and collate it from the beginning.
Data Quality Verification
The best way to determine the quality of your data is to compare your information to other sources. Tracing the data to its lineage enables you to verify its credibility, as it’s always preferred to have data from a primary source. If the data is from a secondary source, verify if a primary source has similar information.
Multiple Data Systems
Businesses should avoid creating versions of data on separate databases, as it causes multiplicity and can skew research results and authenticity. To avoid this, create a single data source with a custodian authorizing the data to allow uniformity. According to Statista, the top three database management systems are Oracle, MySQL, and Microsoft SQL Server.
Data Retention Timeframe
Data is not supposed to remain on your storage device for eternity. No matter how sensitive or important data might be, it should have a retention and disposal time frame. For industries like the tax industry, it is a requirement of law. Maintaining data can also be expensive, especially when it’s physically stored.
Product Identification
Product identification allows you to easily find, store, and organize a wide range of data. For comprehensive product data management, features like color, size, brand, and year of production should all be specified. These details make product identification easier and facilitate the tracking of outlier information.
Third-Party Storage
Storing data through a neutral third party is a smart, efficient, and effective way to back up your information. Opt for a third party with a good reputation for data management. It’s important to check their retention and disposal policies to assume that they do not hold onto any crucial data longer than needed.
How to Safely Store Data
- Activate full-disk encryption. Enabling full-disk encryption (FDE) protects data in the case of it being stolen or falling into the wrong hands. Windows operating system has the BitLocker tool, called FileVault for macOS. On iOS and Android smartphones, the FDE is activated by default.
- Don’t move the storage system around. If you save your data on external hard disks or flash drives, these external storage drives should never leave the office. To avoid having important data stolen, encrypt it before saving your data on a hard disk drive or flash drive.
- Don’t send unencrypted data online. If you must send data online, encrypt it or create a password-protected archive in cases of interception. However, don’t send the password through the same medium. There are fewer chances of hacking if the information is sent through two different platforms.
- Save in more than one place. It is highly recommended to save data in various isolated locations. You can save a copy of the data in an external disk drive and another in reliable cloud storage. Whether you save in reliable cloud storage or not, make sure it is encrypted.
- Delete unused sensitive data. The risk of keeping sensitive data that you no longer use is that you may not be aware they are still stored in your drive or storage device. This means you’re not taking proper protection measures. Aside from creating space, it also helps you keep tabs on what is relevant or not.
Data Management Ideas: Top 5 Tips to Master Data Management
It is important to develop the right processes to ensure that data management solutions work, or else your data analysis will be flawed. Below are five data management ideas and tips suitable for businesses.
Put Together a Strategy
Top business analysts have understood that not all data strategies work for certain businesses. The perfect data strategy should be clear, achievable, specific to your business, and must incorporate your data needs and business objectives. Don’t forget that most of your business decisions will be based on the data that’s collated.
Think Big but Start Small
Don’t be limited by the status or size of your business. Focus on the big picture and your data management plan should reflect the same. Acquiring the top five tools for data analysis will help you achieve your business objectives and be organized from the very start. Set up small data management teams in each department and provide each employee with actionable insights.
Effective Communication
Poor communication skills can make collating data a huge task. Data management tasks involve dealing with different people’s issues and offering solutions based on your source systems. If you are not able to communicate efficiently and professionally, your management teams will fail.
Invest in Quality Management Tools
As the world becomes digital, you’re required to invest in quality data management software to be at par with other business leaders. A good management tool can source data such as customer experience and customer buying habits, and suggest marketing campaigns. An effective data management tool paired with strong management skills is sure to lead to success.
Data Education
Succeeding in data management is constantly revising, reviewing, learning, and relearning. Data changes and you need to be able to change with it to empower yourself with recent data management techniques. The collation or storage pattern you used a few years ago may be out of date. Data is sensitive, so getting updates on the best way to manage data is a must.
Are Data Management Techniques Worth Learning?
Yes, learning data management techniques are worth learning because they minimize potential errors that may arise from their usage, help you secure sensitive information against theft, and prevent cyberattacks.
Gathering data may be difficult and tasking, so mastering management techniques assist in increasing the productivity and visibility of businesses. Learn where to find the best online database courses, classes, and training to hone your data management skills.
Data Management Techniques FAQ
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a database administrator earns $98,860 per year on average. BLS also states that the job growth of a database administrator will grow eight percent from 2020 to 2030. It is estimated that 13,900 database administrator positions will be created yearly from 2020 to 2030.
Yes, the job of a database administrator is worth it. Not only do you master several management processes, but you also learn about business analytics that helps you achieve business objectives across a range of industries.
According to Indeed, the data management skills you need to excel are planning, design, analysis, account, and data analysis. Data management skills involve looking for patterns and understanding database design concepts. These skills will help you gain business insights to help companies reach their business goals.
Yes, you can learn data management skills from bootcamps. Bootcamps offer online courses and provide various resources to improve your data management skills. There are also many online or in-person classes you can attend to master your skills.
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