Information Quality Network ( IQ Network) launched at DCU
28 February 2005

Left to right: Mr Daragh O'Brien (eircom, IAIDQ), Dr Markus Helfert (DCU School of Computing), Mr Nelius Lynch (Assistant Data Protection Commissioner), Mr David Evans (BT Exact, UK), Mr Barry Devlin (IBM), and Nigel Turner (BT Exact, UK)

On Thursday, February 24th 2005, the DCU School of Computing hosted the launch of the Information Quality Network (IQ Network) with the "Information Quality Breakfast Briefing" at the Helix. The IQ Network is a special interest group for professionals and researchers concerned about the quality of business data and information.

The Breakfast Briefing, which was organised in conjunction with the International Association for Information and Data Quality (IAIDQ, www.iaidq.org), included informative talks from representatives of eircom, BT Exact, IBM, SAP, and the Assistant Data Protection Commissioner. Among the issues explored were evolving best practice thinking in reframing information quality management, information management and data compliance, and data quality for field process excellence.

Dr Markus Helfert, a researcher in Information Quality at DCU and founding advisor to the IQ Network, said "This successful launch event, which was attended by over 60 interested researchers and professionals, was the first in a series of events that will highlight the problems associated with poor data and information quality and provide a platform for discussing ideas and exchanging experiences in improving and managing information quality."

Poor data quality impacts on businesses in many ways; it can reduce the responsiveness of customer services, increase costs due to duplicate or incorrect processing, it may even cause system failure. High profile stories of the impact of poor data quality abound, from the incorrect charging of bank customers to the loss of billion euro space vehicles.

The IQ Network will educate its members on the latest processes and technologies used to combat inefficient data and information. It will provide a forum for like-minded individuals and it will support members' efforts in driving improvements in information and data quality management throughout Irish organisations.

"This new group will benefit all members of the Irish Computer Society and its broad membership, in addition to the skills and knowledge of the premiere international organisation in the field", said Daragh O'Brien, convener of the IQ Network.

The Breakfast Briefing was kindly sponsored by Similarity Systems, Trillium Software, the Irish Computer Society and the Centre for Software Engineering.

Professionals or researchers who are interested in joining the Information Quality Network, or who would like further information, should contact Tom O'Sullivan in the Irish Computer Society at tom@ics.ie