Who’s Pissing In Your Data Lake?

In her Ignite Talk titled “Who’s Pissing In Your Data Lake?”, Karen Lopez uses a humorous and vivid analogy to highlight the importance of maintaining data integrity and quality in data lakes. She recounts a real-life incident where a man urinated in a reservoir in Oregon, leading to the costly and unnecessary draining of millions of gallons of water, despite the presence of other contaminants like bird and fish waste. Lopez draws parallels to data management, emphasizing that just as the reservoir had to be drained to meet public expectations of cleanliness, data lakes must be regularly monitored and cleaned to ensure data quality. She discusses issues such as missing integrity, outdated data standards, and fake data, urging the audience to practice good data hygiene and set high expectations for data quality. By profiling data often and addressing contamination promptly, organizations can maintain the trust and reliability of their data systems.