Clean Data Beats Clever Dashboards
Clarity at the source prevents chaos downstream.
Trust starts at the input layer.
Bad data is worse than no data.
No data means you know you’re guessing.
Bad data creates false confidence.
We’ve seen:
• Revenue logged differently across systems
• Customer definitions vary
• KPIs inconsistently calculated
Dashboards don’t fix dirty inputs.
Governance does.
Four pillars:
Accuracy: If the number can't be trusted, the decision built on it can't be either.
Completeness: Half the picture isn't insight — it's a guess with a chart on it.
Consistency: When every team has their own version of the truth, there is no truth.
Timeliness: Right data, wrong moment — that's just history.
You don’t need a 40-page policy.
You need clear ownership and definitions.
Clean inputs reduce arguments.
Reduced arguments increase speed.
