As I watch the world financial crisis unfold, one contributing factor that has arisen is that there is a “lack of trust” among and between banks. In other words, because Bank A can’t trust what Bank B says about its solvency, Bank A won’t loan Bank B money. As a result, banks have stopped lending money to each other. And thus we have a credit crisis.
It struck me that this is a very good analogue to trust in your organization’s database. Many, many times, when I meet with clients or potential clients, one of the core challenges being faced is that of trust. Or more to the point, lack of trust in the database and the data it contains.
Recently I met with a mid-sized association (~30 staff) that is having some major challenges with their database. In the course of our discussions, it became clear that no one on staff really trusts any of the data in the database. Finance does not believe the numbers coming from membership. The events department has moved to a separate event registration system. The foundation went off and purchased its own database, even though the primary database could probably do everything they needed.
All because of a lack of trust.
And as a result, the organization is completely ineffective with their data management. Staff is frustrated, the executive director if frustrated, and nothing is improving.
I’ve written all over my blog and in articles about the need for business rules, documentation, and good training. All of these tools are a foundation for building trust in the database. Once you’ve lost that trust, it’s extremely difficult to get it back.
What is it they don’t trust about the database?
David, as my post says, they don’t trust the data in the database. Specifically, they don’t believe that the data they’re getting from the database is accurate or complete. And because the data is “bad” they don’t believe that the database itself can “do” what they need it to do.
Wes, I will disagree with you a little bit as to the real reason that the scenario you describe happens time and time again in associations (and probably lots of other kinds of organizations).
The EXCUSE is, “I don’t trust the data in the database.”
The REAL REASON is, “I didn’t create this database, I didn’t pick this database, I don’t ‘own’ this database, I don’t like the way this database works, and the hell with this database.”
This is why in so many organizations you find various departments scuttling off to create their own systems (sometimes surreptitiously). When confronted, they claim that they had no choice because they “don’t trust the data in the database” or something similar.
Assuming that the association has done its job and implemented a system that does what it really is supposed to do … and assuming that the association provides the real training and support that people need to be able to effectively do their jobs … there are still some individuals who will fight tooth and nail (and create all sorts of excuses) to do things THEIR way with the system THEY want.
At this point, it becomes the responsibility of senior staff to recognize what is really going on, and make this a management issue, not just a training issue.