We may not always be aware of it, but data influences our everyday lives in a big way. From the weather forecast to the music we listen to, the advertising we see and even how we track our health – data is everywhere. However, not all data is equally useful, and with so much information being collected and shared, a lot goes into maintaining good quality data. That’s why York University is committed to utilizing the right information for the right people at the right time.
Data quality is determined by accuracy, interpretability, consistency and reliability. The better these factors, the better the data for various operations, analytics and planning. This can get complicated, so let’s break it down. Say you're going to bake a cake - the quality of your cake will heavily rely on the quality of your ingredients. If you use expired milk and only one egg instead of the recipe’s need for three, you will be left with a disappointing final product. The same goes for information. Meaningful information will depend on high quality data as its best ingredients.
Poor quality data, such as outdated or incomplete data, can be a result of lack of documentation and standardization, data silos (when systems can’t share information between them) or simply the lack of knowledge of the impacts of poor data quality. This can lead to inaccurate findings and poorly informed decision making.
The Student Systems Renewal Program (SSRP) is improving the student, faculty and staff experience through new solutions that are user-focused and collaborative. Central to this is the transition to the cloud – a necessary modern shift for data storage and access. The SSRP is contributing to institution-wide data quality management at York as a joint responsibility with the Office of Institutional Planning and Analysis (OIPA), Data Governance, University Information Technology (UIT) and other groups within the University. We love quick fixes, of course, but the heart of this project is really to develop widespread improvements that will benefit the York community for years to come. In essence, we’re helping to bake a delicious cake, full of the best possible ingredients!
The SSRP will deliver reliable and trustworthy data by focusing on improving data access, analytics and operational reporting for the new solutions. The goal is to create similar user experiences across multiple platforms that will offer streamlined tracking, consistent interactions and reliable metrics. Importantly, York will be able to provide better service to students, faculty and staff by considering their unique needs. For example, with the proper data points within the Constituent Relationship Management (CRM) platform, communications to prospects, applicants and current students will be more personalized rather than broad information being sent out that may not be relevant.
So, how do we ensure the best data quality? With its solutions, the SSRP will be contributing to defining data standards for success, analyzing how systems share data, reviewing the current state of data quality, and putting reliable processes in place. To date, the quality of data in select source systems has been analyzed and approaches to resolve data quality issues have been defined. Additionally, collaboration is underway with UIT to implement data management capabilities that will align, combine and enforce consistent standards data from separate sources.
Improving data quality across the University is no small feat but the SSRP is proud to be part of this exciting endeavor! Stay tuned for more information on the blog on progress with data quality and other program updates. In the meantime, please also feel free to read more about each project on the SSRP website!
