The Root Cause of the Financial Crisis: Bad Data

I've really enjoyed Thomas Redman's comments on data and data management.  Here's a recent article in Harvard Business Review on approaches to data in light of the economic crisis.  In many ways, it's good perspective because it's not a financial services point of view.  Some highlights: 

"From falsified mortgage applications and bundles of toxic mortgages, to incorrect credit ratings and balance sheets that couldn't be trusted, the financial crisis is as much about bad data as it is about unfettered greed."

"You simply can't trust the insights when you can't trust the inputs."

"Everyone touches data in one way or another, so the tendrils of a data program will affect everyone — the things they do, the way they think, their relationships with one another, your relationships with customers. This work is not for the faint of heart."

- Ben Keeler