Making use of data by understanding
its limitations.
We help you translate your goals into ones you can measure. We figure out what to measure; which means we come up with a master list of questions you want to "ask of your data".
We identify who you need to participate in the program to get the answers you're looking for.
And we think about how to give participants the proper incentives to provide accurate data. That means we address privacy concerns upfront and bake them into the technical design of the data collection system.
In other words, we practice what we preach.
(We've been doing a lot of good work in the area of privacy through a non-profit we created called the Common Data Project.)
Reprise. We help you define what to measure, who to measure, and how to measure it accurately.
Throughout this process, we work with you to come up with the requirements for the data collection system. Once the requirements are in place, we (Shan Gao Ma) manage the implementation of the design, working between the people who need the data and the technical teams building the systems that will provide it.
When the data starts to pour in, we will help you make sense of the mess (and it will be messy) by helping you understand the inherent limitations of the data
Our process is iterative, working through trial and error to refine both the questions you ask of your data and how you collect what you need to answer those questions. So expect to be working actively with us through the entire life cycle of the project to continually refine what we're doing.
We also assume that you're going to be continually evolving what you do as you learn from your data, so we set you up with a stewardship process to keep track of the data your system is collecting and what it means.
SGM Data Dictionary
We're developing software to help automate the data stewardship process.
Our first product, the Data Dictionary, provides a way to collaborate on documenting what's being collected and logging and tracking issues.
Centralize Documentation
Document what your collecting
Document what it means
Annotate with analysis
Track issues
Broaden Data Use In Your Organization
Easier access to data
Faster ramp up for new colleagues
Share and Collaborate
Update documentation together
Track issues together
Share analysis