Make use of Data

Data is neutral - there are no value judgments, only facts.  Data has both power and its limits.  The power lies in the analysis of what we know about.  But it gives us something to work with to reveal potential patterns, which can be used to help us improve.  There are limits to data, analyzing it correctly is difficult, and it is dangerous to assume that you always know what it means.  It is easy to find false patterns in data.  Think of data as one way of seeing, one of many tools we can use to look for what's hidden.  The problem comes when people think that data paints a full picture, leading them to ignore what they can't see.  Measure what you can, evaluate what you measure, and appreciate that you cannot measure the vast majority of what you do.  Make time to step back and think about what you are doing.

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