IT and business departments ‘should collaborate to ensure data quality’

IT and business departments need to work together to ensure that their company’s data quality standards are up to scratch.

This is the opinion of independent data quality consultant and writer Jim Harris, who explained to the IT Business Edge website that too much responsibility is often placed on IT experts when it comes to the issue.

He said companies often assume that because such workers are in charge of running a database, they are aware of the business value of the information contained inside it.

Mr Harris suggested organisations need to realise this is not necessarily the case and work as one to improve data quality levels.

"IT knows technology, but they don’t necessarily know what the data means to the business," he stated.

Last month, Tom Wentworth, vice president of web solutions for internet technology company Ekron, told the CMS Wire website that poor data quality can lead to badly-targeted marketing campaigns that do not reach their intended audience.