Data curation starts with the idea of using available data for today. But it also looks ahead to see how that data can also help those in the future. With so much information at hand, it becomes useless without those who know what to do with it.
Big Data Doesn’t Eliminate People
Despite the number of automated means of gathering data, humans still need to make sense of it. Computers can analyze data, but humans must determine which data is relevant and for how long. A computer cannot determine which data your organization needs. Data curators use societal cues to decide this.
What Does Data Curation Mean Today?
Today, there is more information available than ever. In fact, over the last two years, 90 percent of the world’s data has been created. This makes organizing and using that data even more important to avoid the morass of a data swamp, wherein finding the information needed becomes impossible. This is the task of data curation today. Without data curators, finding relevant information becomes impossible.
Data Curators as Bridges
Not everyone in data deals with information the same way. Data analysts use technology to make sense of the available information. Scientists gather the data through various means. Data curators bridge the divide between these two by providing information about how the data is used. IT professionals use this insight to create the software used by analysts.
Data Curators as Organizers
Many companies and groups take advantage of data curators to clean up and organize a confounding amount of information available. For instance, the Geological Survey of Alabama found itself with a glut of backlogged information. Data curators helped the group identify which pieces of data, regardless of age could still be useful today or in the future. This careful study yielded a new website that gives users access to easy-to-use information collections.
Data Curators Are Quality Control
Having a lot of data is useless. The key to data is choosing what is useful information for a business or group and what is not. Data curators act as quality control, ensuring good data remains in the system. This makes it easier for current and future users to trust the data and to make the most of it.
Challenges Facing Data Curators Today
Despite its many benefits, data curation still faces some challenges. Among these is oversight. While other countries, such as the UK, have national boards to standardize the practice of data curation, the U.S. does not. Even basic information including time encoding does not have a U.S. standard. Without standards, cross-referencing information between repositories becomes difficult. This is especially problematic today with more fields becoming interconnected with others.
Bringing Data Curators Into Your Business
Data curators must know about the software used by analysts and the methods used by scientists. Their role in a company is vital, though bringing data curators into your company can be expensive in terms of money and time. You need to hire experienced data curators and provide them with adequate software such as Dremio to organize the information. Investing too much in people and not enough in equipment is just as bad and does not give your curators the software they need.
Give Goals to Your Data Curators
When you hire data curators, you’ll need to provide them with a clear picture of your objectives. This will guide them to properly gathering and organizing the information. Different goals may render some data useless. Your data curators must have open communication channels with analysts and scientists to ensure they can properly do their jobs. When your data curators have your vision in mind, they will optimize the data for your business.
Data Curator Demand Is on the Rise
The need for data curators is steadily rising as the amount of available information increases. Since this field is so new, a third of data curator related job titles appeared after 2006, specific degrees are difficult to find. But those in math and science fields show strong abilities in data curation. Though automating certain curatorial tasks is possible, you’ll still need to hire humans for this position for your company. Start looking now to avoid future labor shortages.
Data Curation Is a Modern Necessity
With so much data at hand, you need data curators to make sense of it. Your business will be able to make larger, faster strides by taking advantage of the organizational skills of data curators. It’s time to add this member to your staff today for a future-forward company.
