The federal government has over 2,000 data centers, requiring large investments in infrastructure, data storage, and services, so it makes sense that capturing data correctly (especially data of 300 million people) is a bit of a challenge. With the introduction of more information formats creating exponential records growth, the need for an evolution of records and information management is more critical than ever.
Of course, local governments seem to do a far better job when it comes to data standards; according to Enterprise Apps Today, using master data management has proven effective for the city of Charlotte, North Carolina. What does this mean? Compared to the federal government’s lackluster paperwork, which includes duplicated files, lost documentation, and arbitrarily assessed penalties, the City of Charlotte’s system automates data profiling, as well as cleansing, matching, merging and data enrichment.
Data management is becoming one of the most pressing issues facing government agencies, not just for government workers, but also for every tax-paying individual. What poor data management does is have a negative impact on time and resources, and perhaps the starting point is to make the capturing of data more efficient through the better use of technology.
For smaller businesses, there are choices like Evernote, and cloud storage services like Google Drive and Dropbox (News - Alert), and code hosting sites like GitHub. Government agencies are obviously more complex, but as Enterprise Apps Today points out, solutions like Oracle (News - Alert) Business Suite are viable solutions to help keep tabs on data that matters. One cited example is the Michigan State Police Department, whose reliance on the aforementioned helped better monitor metrics to keep the public safe.
Data is only as valuable as the capacity to process, integrate, and interpret it, and use it for the better. Perhaps the federal government still has a ways to go, but a solid investment in technology will keep workers from spending countless hours at the office searching for and fixing mistakes.