{"id":1385,"date":"2019-01-19T20:36:27","date_gmt":"2019-01-19T20:36:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=1385"},"modified":"2019-01-19T20:36:27","modified_gmt":"2019-01-19T20:36:27","slug":"its-just-data-dead-data","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=1385","title":{"rendered":"It\u2019s Just Data, Dead Data"},"content":{"rendered":"<blockquote>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Most importantly, we must recognize that the reason for data collection is not data collection.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Lately we have been taking about metrics and data, including GHG emissions tracking, to move sustainability forward at the state level. If we can understand the current performance of our buildings regarding energy, for example, and even understand that performance compared to a baseline year, we can talk about what we\u2019ve done, and where it worked, and what we need to change to increase traction.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Easy, right?<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Yet one of the hardest things we face is getting the data from various agencies for energy use and other items we want to track.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Why?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1386 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/charrette-300x106.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"106\" srcset=\"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/charrette-300x106.jpg 300w, https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/charrette-768x272.jpg 768w, https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/charrette-1024x363.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">When we get into it, there are many problems with data collection.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"ul1\">\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">It\u2019s just data, dead data unless there is a system in place to gain knowledge and feed it back into repairing any revealed issues.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Generating the data takes time away from the work that we need\u00a0to do.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Often, data generation, especially poorly informed data collection, is a distraction from what we need to do.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Data is past-tense. By forcing us to constantly look into the rear-view mirror, how are we able to keep our focus on moving forward?<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Often data is not created with the same metrics or timeframe for every reporter, or even for every layer in the system, and we must spend time in\u00a0quality review, and scrubbing the data for errant data points.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">There is no story inherently attached to data.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Often the required reporting is not connected to the mission of the agency at all.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Most importantly, it is rare to submit a report and hear back about the aggregate performance or even about your specific performance. Therefore there is no return on our investment of time and effort. We, the reporters, are creating data for someone else. That\u2019s it. End of the story. And it sucks. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">What can be done to improve this?<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Most importantly, we must recognize that the reason for data collection is not data collection. Everyone says that data is wonderful, yet data is never the point. Data is never the end goal. Data is not inspirational. Data is not a purpose. Data is never the purpose. Data\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 15.2015px;\">is &#8220;a thing used to express, embody, or fulfill something&#8221;.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 0.95em;\">Data is a tool for our purpose, or a fuel for change, or feedstock in a performance check for continual improvement.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Screen-Shot-2019-01-19-at-3.15.21-PM.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-1387 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Screen-Shot-2019-01-19-at-3.15.21-PM-300x158.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"328\" height=\"173\" srcset=\"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Screen-Shot-2019-01-19-at-3.15.21-PM-300x158.png 300w, https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Screen-Shot-2019-01-19-at-3.15.21-PM-768x403.png 768w, https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Screen-Shot-2019-01-19-at-3.15.21-PM.png 994w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 328px) 100vw, 328px\" \/><\/a>Once we recognize that data is the vehicle, and not the destination, we can free ourselves from blind commitment to data. Planners can seek insights from the reporters about what they need, what data is important to them, what ways that vehicle can be swifter, cleaner, reasonably priced, and easy to maintain. Ideally, the aggregate reporting will then become easier to generate, and easier to generate in a way that can, in turn, inform the reporters in their own work, their own mission, and for their own goals.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Key points &#8211;<\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"ul1\">\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>The reporting entities need to bring it up.<\/b> If you tell a hospital to generate GHG emissions data, that reporting will inevitably be a burden to them.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>If you discover, in discussion with them, that their concern is\u00a0air quality, or volatile energy prices, or noise pollution affecting their patients, then the GHG data collection can be gathered in a way to calculate direct health effects, to inform investment in renewable energy, and to help them make the case to relocate the delivery areas away from patient spaces.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>They need recognition based on their perspective. <\/b>And this recognition is different for each entity.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>Let them tell you what works for them. Many facility managers are like stage managers: they prefer being invisible. For them, recognition through processes that better inform and feed budgets &#8211; that is a valuable recognition of their achievements.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>They need to know why. <\/b>There are times the data at a different level is feeding the goals at that level, though it is incomprehensible at the reporting level. Try to make the story accessible. It\u2019s not just about reducing GHG emissions. Find the \u201cwhy\u201d that resonates. We are each different.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">T<b>hey need the message from the right place. <\/b>In some cases a mandate or a policy wins the day. It is easy, clear, direct, and can be enforced.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>In some cases a mandate or a policy is not the right vehicle, as it can be ignored, circumvented, and lost on a shelf. A \u201crule\u201d is never successful without informed or co-creation, education, implementation, and enforcement.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>They will also benefit from the broad view. <\/b>Even when we have considered all of the above, it is always inspiring to see how each piece informs the over-arching efforts, or helps to achieve the ultimate goal. We are all in this together.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">And remember that in each of these approaches, the answer can be different depending on the agency.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">One approach that I am going to try for my own work is something that NY Parks is doing to create and maintain the story that supports their own momentum. It is a simple approach, and one that can take many forms. They have created a simple Powerpoint, and every time they complete a project that helps them with their goals related to sustainability, they capture a photo and pertinent data on a slide or two. The ppt is a living document, continually growing, and always available to show to new employees, new commissioners, new governors. It is their historical record, and inspires current and future work.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>In summary:<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"ul1\">\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Co-create the why.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Design the data collection and be specific about what the reporter needs.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Avoid getting bogged down in past data.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Feed back real and useful information.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Invest in using that data for continual improvement.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Recognize achievements in a way that is valuable to the recipients.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Tell (and maintain) your evolving story.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Make data live, and be greener,<\/p>\n<p>Jodi<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Most importantly, we must recognize that the reason for data collection is not data collection. Lately we have been taking about metrics and data, including [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[128,10,5,9,13],"tags":[55,21,93,88,25,130],"class_list":["post-1385","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-advocacy","category-critical-commentary","category-gbtools","category-deep-green","category-profession","tag-challenge","tag-change","tag-energy","tag-leadership","tag-planning","tag-roi"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p40KlT-ml","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2892,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=2892","url_meta":{"origin":1385,"position":0},"title":"Renaissance Man (S2C E13)","author":"greenerjsa","date":"March 26, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"In our deep and fascinating conversation with Bart Trudeau of Trudeau Architects, pllc, we learn about data, computer programming for planning, landscaping, mankind's relation to Nature, the Pope's perspectives on the planet, politics and voting rights, zero net energy home renovations, edible plants, renewable energy solutions, difficult lessons learned, residence\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Advocacy&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Advocacy","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?cat=128"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":714,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=714","url_meta":{"origin":1385,"position":1},"title":"Perception Management to Change the World.","author":"greenerjsa","date":"October 16, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 I was thinking about perception management in the way of mind-shift assistance. Not in the evil, manipulate the politicos and the populace with disinformation crafting, as in the film \"Wag the Dog\" or in the David Baldacci book, \u201cThe Whole Truth\u201d, but in a way of being mindful of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Critical commentary&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Critical commentary","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?cat=10"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/billnye-e1476646583562.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/billnye-e1476646583562.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/billnye-e1476646583562.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/billnye-e1476646583562.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/billnye-e1476646583562.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/billnye-e1476646583562.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":693,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=693","url_meta":{"origin":1385,"position":2},"title":"Hitched","author":"greenerjsa","date":"September 11, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"The quote above is one of those truly defining quotes about sustainability, triple bottom line planning, and just plain common sense. I snapped this photo from a page of the book \"This Spaceship Earth\", which I recommend reading. \u00a0It has a corresponding action website at\u00a0http:\/\/thisspaceshipearth.org\/. The book is a bit\u00a0data\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;community&quot;","block_context":{"text":"community","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?cat=12"},"img":{"alt_text":"hitched","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/hitched-300x110.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3044,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=3044","url_meta":{"origin":1385,"position":3},"title":"The Customer Experience, AI, and Performance (S2C E38)","author":"greenerjsa","date":"November 5, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Who is a customer? What does data have to do with the experience, and how can AI help us improve it? What about reading the crowd, services for small businesses, and the unsung heroes we can learn from? Our conversation with Roy Atkinson was so fascinating that we ended up\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Critical commentary&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Critical commentary","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?cat=10"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":732,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=732","url_meta":{"origin":1385,"position":4},"title":"What We Don&#8217;t Need","author":"greenerjsa","date":"November 6, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"I attended a SUNY (State University of New York) Sustainability conference last week. It was exceptional to see the work of different campuses in the SUNY system, to hear about their successes and the obstacles they have overcome as well as those they have yet to conquer to become more\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;community&quot;","block_context":{"text":"community","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?cat=12"},"img":{"alt_text":"Debilitating slide","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/water-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":523,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=523","url_meta":{"origin":1385,"position":5},"title":"My BE16 Take-aways.","author":"greenerjsa","date":"March 13, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"BE 16 was wonderful. The people, the ideas, the experiences, the thrill of speaking to a small but full room of engaged people, with a smart and giving co-speaker (thanks, Jim). All good. This year I did not spend a whole lot of time on the vendor floor, and perhaps\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;community&quot;","block_context":{"text":"community","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?cat=12"},"img":{"alt_text":"be16 prezi","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/be16-prezi-e1457892848179-225x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1385","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1385"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1385\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1388,"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1385\/revisions\/1388"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1385"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1385"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1385"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}