Back to School and Basics

‘Tis the season. Pencils, erasers, protractors, notebooks and lots of other stuff—all destined for the backpack. Even the television commercials have gotten seasonal with school kids falling backwards as they put the stuffed backpack on again after a summer without it. Overstuffed Data "Backback" Having watched the backpacks get heavier and heavier each year with two sons and a daughter, I appreciate that most of the contents is mandated by supply lists. These are official supply lists issued by their schools, and they are grade specific. Clearly, over consumption is afoot. Surely everything in these bulging, heavy backpacks can’t be essential. A backpack that is so stuffed that it prevents a student from standing upright is neither helpful nor truly essential. Over consumption may not be as seasonal as you think. Many companies over-consume data to the point where it is not helpful. They stuff their “backpacks” so full that they cannot focus on the essentials. These data repositories—filled to the brim—are heavy to lug around, so to speak. And often the real nuggets of data that are important make their way to the bottom of the backpack and can only be used if the user really digs around. Lighten the load. Focus on what you need to gain the insights and get the job done. Happy “Back to School (and Basics).”