The Classification Guru: the superhero your data needs

Consistency, Organisation, Accuracy and Trust…

These were the ingredients chosen to create one perfect data expert, but the Professor accidentally added an extra ingredient to the concoction - chemical Xcel thus, The Classification Guru was born!

Using her ultra-superpowers Susan has dedicated her life to fighting dirty data and the forces of evil but, The Classification Guru has many sworn enemies...

Miss Classification, evil twin sisters the Dupli-Kate’s… not to mention the Typo-nater.

The Classification Guru’s made it her mission to use her core COAT powers to fight them all in the battle against DIRTY DATA - with one clear message: “Don’t make me angry, you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry!”

Now, one dark and stormy day The Classification Guru found herself all alone and in a bad part of town. The smell dirty data was heavy in the air and Susan had a very bad feeling.

From nowhere she was ambushed by a wild pack of dirty data nasties. Miss Classification, the Dupli-Kate’s and Typo-nater descended and unleashed excel hell on our hero. It was all Susan could do to stay on top as the villains through everything they had at her. But, The Classification Guru had a secret weapon - unlike other heroes who wear capes… our hero wears a COAT: a data COAT.

Our superhero’s special powers of consistency, organisation, accuracy and trust that she applies not only to her classification but her own personal values.

So the Classification Guru took a deep breath and started talking the dirty data nasties one by one…

Consistency

Generally data is used by many people or teams, which can lead to multiple classifications of one product. For example, one person might put DHL as a ‘courier’, while another might log it as ‘logistics’ or ‘warehousing’. 

A taxi might be classified generically as ‘travel’ when it should be classed as ‘Travel > Road Transport > Taxis’ and a project cost should be assigned to the same budget or GL code, not several. Or it could even be a simple as units of measurement: one person may use ‘Litre’, another ‘Ltr’ and another ‘L’ – but these should all be one format. This means everything can be reported accurately, you get a true picture of what’s going on and better business decisions can be made.

BOOM, WHACK, POW - Miss Classification is powerless. The Typo-nater weakened.

Organisation

Data is only useful if it’s organised. Think of a messy closet, you’re looking for your favourite top but can't find it as everything has been thrown in there. And much like your closest, you can organise your data in different ways, depending on what you want to get out of it and that will produce different reports/analytics. 

You may want to assign data to employees, teams, departments, functions or internal categories, as well as time periods such as months and quarters, or year groups like P1, P2 etc.

CRASH, PUNCH, WHAM - The dirty data nasties are retreating.

Accuracy

This can mean different things to different people. At its most basic level, accurate data is correct. In more detail, this could be no duplicate information; correct invoice descriptions; correct classifications; no missing product codes; standard units of measure (e.g. ltr, l, litres); no currency issues; correctly spelled vendors; fully classified data; or the right data in the right columns.

So, what does this mean? It means greater visibility across your business in several areas, allowing better decisions, as well as time and cost savings and increased profits.

SMASH, BANG, WHALLOP - The Dupli-Kate’s are done!

Trustworthy

This is critical. Business decisions around jobs, staffing, budgets, cost savings and more are all based on data. Data is used by everyone from the bottom to the top of an organisation. You have to be able to trust that what you’re looking at is the right information, and you need it to be accurate in order for your teams to use the data in their daily jobs. 

If they don’t trust the data, then they might not use the fancy new expensive software you’ve just spent tens of thousands of pounds installing. Or the new AI you’ve installed may not produce the right results because it’s learning from dirty data.

VICTORY - The Classification Guru has saved the day!

By being consistent, organised, accurate and trustworthy in everything thing she does The Classification Guru was able to beat back every Miss Classification, every Dulpi-kate and every Typo the trio had to throw at her.

Every scrambled Excel file, every line of data got the COAT treatment and before long Miss Classification, the Dupli-Kates and the Typo-nater retreated and our hero was victorious.

Don’t let the villains scramble and dirty your data - get yourself a hero, get yourself The Classification Guru.

Get in touch today - [email protected]

This article was originally published on https://www.theclassificationguru.com/the-classification-guru-the-superhero-your-data-needs