Data tells lies, so what should you ask? @JHISteve
Great article from Steven Thomson
He sets out questions to ask next time you're about to make a big decision based on a particular set of data:
Are you measuring the right thing? In almost any data-gathering situation, there are far more types of information that could be gathered than you can possibly tackle. Compare the contradictory claims that U.S. wireless phone providers make for their network coverage. No one's lying--they're all just picking different aspects of coverage to measure.
Are you measuring it accurately? There are far more ways to screw up a measurement than there are to get it right. Ever compare election results to what the polls had said right up to the end? And political pollsters are the rocket scientists of data gathering--it's downhill from there.
Are you interpreting the data wisely? Unless someone is inside trading, all investors have access to exactly the same data about public companies. Some investors use that data to get rich, others lose their shirts with it.
What does the data miss? Hollywood tests its forthcoming movies with all kinds of audiences before releasing it. But Disney's extensive testing of "John Carter of Mars" didn't provide the company with whatever information it needed to avoid a $200 million loss.
Comment: Data has always had politics and the story you see if the one you want, we know that. What is more difficult is algorithm bias. Personally I want to know the persons opinions who is presenting to me as I am sure that they have the facts to support their case, this difficulty ( the decision) is surely…. do I want to concur with this as I want it to, or do I want to challenge it.