Since the process of data management is often very abstract, we like to make the comparison between baking handmade bread and data management. Baking handmade bread and data management have some similarities in the steps followed to achieve a good result. Both baking beautiful bread and data management are processes that require patience, accuracy and quality.
Of course, the right tools are also important, whether it is an oven or a data management platform. Just as that for both, people’s knowledge, skills and passion also determine success.
The traditional baker
Baking handmade bread like a ‘baguette’, starts with a baker who has a vision of how to bake the best bread. This vision can be found in the baker’s secret recipe, who vigorously kneads the dough in the early morning to ultimately bake the finest warm bread for customers. Here you can make a parallel to getting started with data. Nothing is more paralysing than when there is no vision and powerful leadership. Someone will have to take the organisation from the business objectives to a concrete data action plan (recipe). The goal is to eventually turn the raw data ingredients into reliable, actionable information that helps your organisation in processes, and in analysis and decision-making.
Gathering the right ingredients
Baking handmade bread starts with the right ingredients, such as flour, yeast, water, salt and olive oil. You naturally want the best ingredients and in the case of your data, it is no different. The parallel to data management is then quickly made to collecting the right data for the primary organisational process. It looks at what data is needed and all this data is then collected.
Rising the dough
Flour, yeast, water, salt and olive oil are not yet a fresh baguette. For that, a lot has to happen to the ingredients. They are brought together, kneaded and made into a usable dough. This then rises in a bowl or baking tin until it is ready to go into the oven. The parallel with data management is the whole process that all individual data in the organisation goes through to form into usable information, including the control of its quality, which can be offered to customers.
Baking the bread
Next, the bread is baked in the oven at a certain temperature and for a certain amount of time. In the hands of data engineers, analysts, and also business users, the data is baked into reports, analyses and predictions.
Eating the bread
There it is, a freshly baked baguette, from which you break off such a piece and eat it like this. The day after, however, the bread is already dry and no longer tasty, fit to eat. So is the journey of your data. It has to be timely and up-to-date, and so the process starts from scratch. Just as the traditional baker bakes his baguette fresh every day, that too is used every day for new insights.
Nota bene, making a baguette has to comply with legal guidelines, the baker protects the uniqueness of his recipe, and of course does not leave the data of his regular customers lying around. You can make the parallel yourself right?
Find the right baker
Just as handmade bread is high quality, you also look for high-quality data solutions, and preferably from someone who knows all aspects of bread baking. Systemation is happy to help you find the right data recipe for your organisation.
Also read the blog: Data management: how do you get it right?
