Liliendahl on Data Quality

During the last couple years social media have been floating with an image and a silly explanation about how a pack of wolves are organized on the go. Some claims are that the three in the front should be the old and sick who sets the pace so everyone are able to stay in the pack and the leader is the one at the back.

This leadership learning lesson, that I have seen liked and shared by many intelligent people, is made up and does not at all correspond to what scientists know about a pack of wolves.

This is like when you look at master data (wolves) without the right reference data and commonly understood metadata. In order to make your interpretation trustworthy you have to know: ¿Who is the alpha male (if that designation exists), who is the alpha female (if that designation exists) and who is old and sick (and what does that mean)?

PS: For those of you who like me are interested in Tour de France, I think this is like the peloton. In front are the riders breaking the wind (snow), who will eventually fall to the back of the standings, and at the back you see Chris Froome having yet a mechanical problem when the going gets tough and thereby making sure that the entire pack stays together.