This post builds on a previous one ‘Do the next thing‘.
What’s next can move us onto the next thing. It can be impatience, boredom, or simply part of managing a meeting. (And for those West Wing watchers, it may just bring back fond memories of Jed Bartlett.). However, it can also help us think of others, other steps in a process.
Data sharing is a mixture of technology, governance, and regulation. And mostly governance. However, we can be clear on the purpose of data sharing, what data, the standards, models, access, and risks. We can agree on which software will be used at which step and even signed a data sharing agreement. But then what? Implementation of course.
However, our data sharing agreement governs which data is shared, with whom, and how. The technology helps us collect, deduplicate, share, and/or analyse. But often we leave the ‘what happens when I have a potential duplicate or conflict’ to chance. ‘We’ll just work it out and make it up as we go along’ is a common response. And then we don’t and blame something else (usually the technology).
Asking ‘what’s next?’ in a business process or even ‘so what?’ can help us think through the whole. When deduplicating datasets there will need to be an agreed process to make it happen. A person to do it in both organisations and an agreed set of steps to walk through. Just because the technology flags a potential duplicate, doesn’t mean it is. Data sharing because you need to refer someone to another organisation for help requires a different set of steps.
The work rarely stops with the technology, data sharing never does. The what’s next is going to involve people, processes, and even culture. Sharing data about others requires sensitivity, kindness, and respect. Shame has no place here. And because it is sensitive, leaving it to chance is not the way forward.
So what’s next? Is it clear to your team?
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