Avoiding Data Pitfalls

Chapter NineConclusion

“Mistakes are a fact of life. It is the response to error that counts.”

—Nikki Giovanni

Well, we've traveled a long road together, and we've considered many aspects of the data working pathway, both pinnacles of wonder and pitfalls of despair. And if you're like me, you have a looming sense that the types of mistakes we've mapped out in this book are only the beginning.

The fact is, they're necessary in order for us to grow.

To drive this point home, I'd like to relate a famous story to you that I've only ever seen attributed to an anonymous source.

There once was a journalist who was interviewing a wealthy and successful bank president.

“Sir,” he said, “what is the secret to your success?”

“Two words,” replied the bank president.

“And what are they, sir?” asked the journalist.

“Good decisions,” replied the president.

“And how, sir, do you make good decisions?”

‘One word.”

“And what word is that?”

“Experience.”

“And how do you get experience?”

“Two words.”

“And what are they, sir?”

“Bad decisions.”

Working with data involves lots of decisions. Some of them are good decisions and some of them are bad decisions. It's not reasonable to expect ourselves and others to only ever make good decisions. We're going to make mistakes on the road to success with data, just as sure as we're going to come across data that's flawed and dirty. It's the way things are.

We can choose how we react to this state of affairs. We can throw in the towel right now. Why try? Or ...