Saturday, May 24, 2008

Re: School databases and the staffing for management of those databases

This has been a great thread, with some excellent ideas discussed.

My 2 additions:

1. As you are sanitizing/normalizing your data and moving into a new system, make sure that your system exports your data equally cleanly. If your new system offers you a clean UI to enter data, and is easy to use, that's great, but a good system will also offer a migration path should you ever need it. As you evaluate systems, look explicitly at how data can be exported and moved to different systems. You newly hired Database Administrator will be able to help with this :)

2. The process of forming your faculty committee on essential data should also be used as education/outreach within your school community. Frequently, data management is shrouded in mystery, and is seen as something outside the purview of a school's mission. Anything that demystifies the process and helps non-tech folks understand some of the complexities of data management is a Good Thing, and helps to unify the school community.


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