Eliminate to optimize

Eliminate to optimize

So much of data management is habit (both good and bad) which is why I love James Clear's Atomic Habits. Implementing better data management habits can help you improve the quality of your data.

Here's another quote from Clear that applies to data management:

"More effort is wasted doing things that don’t matter than is wasted doing things inefficiently. Elimination is the highest form of optimization." - James Clear

Where does this apply? Here are just a few examples:

  • Do you actually use all the demographic data you collect during the join process?
  • Do you produce a printed directory that no one uses?
  • Do you mail printed membership cards or attendance certificates that no one uses?
  • Do you produce periodic reports or memos that no one actually reads?

My experience with clients is that most organizations have one or more processes in place that simply aren't needed anymore. They can be eliminated. And as Clear states, elimination is the highest form of optimization.

Wes's Wednesday Wisdom Archives

Opting out and communication preferences

September 4, 2024

Opting out and communication preferences Last week’s newsletter discussed the need for associations to collect mobile […]

Are you collecting mobile phone numbers? You should be.

August 28, 2024

Are you collecting mobile phone numbers? You should be. Are you collecting (and using) the […]

Spend less time on data management and more on higher value activities

August 21, 2024

Spend less time on data management and more on higher value activities Data management is very […]

Change anything you want, except your name!

August 7, 2024

Change anything you want, except your name! This is an oldy but a goody, but […]

If you don’t trust your vendor…

July 24, 2024

If you don’t trust your vendor… When I start an AMS selection project with a […]

Your RFP should go to no more than five vendors!

July 17, 2024

Your RFP should go to no more than five vendors! As a rule, when I […]

Be concise!

July 10, 2024

Be concise! I started a monthly newsletter almost 25 years ago (which I recently discontinued). […]

A great example of a data integrity report!

June 26, 2024

A great example of a data integrity report! A couple months back I discussed the […]

“If you keep doin’ what you’re doin’, you’ll keep gettin’ what you’re gettin’.”

June 5, 2024

“If you keep doin’ what you’re doin’, you’ll keep gettin’ what you’re gettin’.” I saw […]

Rather than adding something new, try subtracting

May 29, 2024

Rather than adding something new, try subtracting I read recently that sociological research suggests, when presented […]

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top