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engender a basic conflict between the need to prevent linkage and major data management
objectives, such as monitoring and quality control, which require the ability to be able to trace back
and verify information.
1.4 The Components of Data Management
1.4.1 Management
The general concepts of management are as applicable to data management as they are to
project management. Management issues are critical components of the data management system.
The data are merely the objects being manipulated by the data management system. Unless there is
adequate attention to the process, the data will not be worthy of much attention.
The investigative team is ultimately responsible for the outcome of the project. Even in
those large projects where a project manager and a data manager are present, the investigative team
are the project's board of directors. Management skills are required to evaluate the managers and
ensure that they are doing a reasonable job, beyond the issue of is the project on schedule? Even
for a relatively small project, researchers may need to work diligently to adapt to the managerial role,
since many of the qualities that make for a good researcher are quite the opposite of those of a good
manager:
Researcher Manager
Optimal Solutions Pragmatic Solutions
Accurate Solutions Workable Solutions
Works with things Works with people
Process Oriented Outcome Oriented
Individually Successful Group Successful
A good researcher requires creativity and may be considered a tinkerer, i.e., a person who is
constantly changing things based on new ideas. A good manager is also creative but is less of a
tinkerer. Constant change in a management situation results in confusion and a lack of consistency,
which ultimately result in data of low quality. A few of the key management issues that directly
affect the data management system are:
1.4.1.1 Two-way communication
Any person on the project can make a valuable contribution, comment, or observation.
These contributions should be respected. Listening is an important aspect to learn what is truly
happening and discover remedies. The person actually performing the task will often know more
about the nuances and what is effective than anyone else. People have different degrees of readiness
to express their ideas and concerns, and opportunities for informal one-on-one discussions (e.g.,
over coffee) are important.
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www.sph.unc.edu/EPID168/ © Victor J. Schoenbach 16. Data management and data analysis - 526
rev. 9/27/1999, 10/22/1999, 10/28/1999