Evaluation and Control Program Warning Flag 3 – Using Data as Information

Too often, individuals align themselves with a particular statistic or data point as though it infallibly supported their position. In these instances, raw data is assigned meaning absent context from the surrounding environment and possibly in spite of flaws and biases in its collection. While the assignment of meaning to a particular data point may serve one’s immediate purpose, it often leads to erroneous conclusions and may result in undesirable outcomes.

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About the Author

Nathan Ives is a StrategyDriven Principal and Host of the StrategyDriven Podcast. For over twenty years, he has served as trusted advisor to executives and managers at dozens of Fortune 500 and smaller companies in the areas of management effectiveness, organizational development, and process improvement. To read Nathan’s complete biography, click here.

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