Some years ago, while working in Berlin, I came across a compelling example of how data accuracy can become ingrained in a mindset.
My new team maintained a simple register to keep track of tasks in our production schedule. To identify the initiator of each request, they used three-letter abbreviations consisting of the first letter of the person's name and two letters of their surname. For example, Maria Lange was noted as MLA, Frank Becker as FBE, and Emilia Weber as EWE. This system allowed them to easily trace the initiator in case any additional questions arose.
As a newly arrived, I was soon asked to use the register as well. Assuming that most of my new colleagues only knew me by my first name, I entered the three symbols of my first name and completed the record. I could not even imagine the impact of my action 🙂
Less than 10 minutes later, my boss approached me and questioned why I had chosen to do it that way. During subsequent team meetings, my tag was playfully referred to as "some strange person." People were approaching and honestly asking me in the coffee corner, and it went really droll.
To this day, whenever I encounter abbreviations, I am reminded of that story. It was a valuable lesson in the importance of a naming convention, and my team demonstrated an excellent example of data governance discipline, in every small data piece 👏
At #DataEnq, we are passionate advocates for naming conventions as the bedrock of effective data management, and we make sure our customers spend extra time on this step.
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