Data Cleaning: Why,
What, and How
Transforming raw data into reliable insights through systematic
cleaning processes
Why Data Cleaning Matters: The Foundation of Reliable Data
90% 35%
Recent Data Creation Annual Data Decay
Of the world's data was created in the last B2B data becomes outdated each year
two years
12%
Revenue Impact
Lost due to dirty data inefficiencies
What Is Data Cleaning?
Identification Process Correction & Removal
Systematically detecting Fixing errors, standardising
inaccurate, incomplete, formats, and removing
duplicate, or irrelevant data problematic records to
points within datasets ensure data integrity
Quality Assurance
Ensuring data becomes accurate, consistent, complete, and
usable for analysis or decision-making processes
Key distinction: Data cleaning differs from data transformation,
which focuses on changing data format or structure for analysis
readiness rather than correcting quality issues.
The High Cost of Neglecting Data Cleaning
Misleading Insights Failed AI Predictions
Unclean data generates false Machine learning algorithms
patterns and incorrect trained on dirty data produce
conclusions, leading to unreliable models with poor
misguided strategic decisions accuracy and reduced
and wasted resources business value
Marketing Inefficiencies
Duplicate or outdated
customer records reduce
campaign effectiveness,
inflate costs, and damage
customer relationships
"Garbage in, garbage out" – even the
most sophisticated algorithms fail when fed
poor quality data
Common Data Quality Issues to Address
Duplicate Records
Multiple copies of identical data entries that create bias in analysis, inflate metrics, and reduce
operational efficiency across systems
Missing Values
Critical data gaps that can break algorithms, skew statistical results, and prevent comprehensive
analysis of key business metrics
Structural Errors
Typos, inconsistent naming conventions, and formatting differences that prevent proper data integration
and analysis
Irrelevant Data
Records outside the scope of analysis that add noise, consume resources, and dilute the quality of
insights generated
How to Clean Data: A Practical 5-Step
Framework
01 02 03
Remove Duplicates & Fix Structural Errors Handle Missing Data
Irrelevant Data Standardise naming conventions, Choose appropriate strategies:
De-duplicate datasets from multiple correct typos, and unify formats for remove incomplete records, impute
sources and filter out records not dates, addresses, and categorical missing values using statistical
relevant to analysis goals, such as variables across all data sources methods, or adjust analysis
wrong demographics or outdated techniques
entries
04 05
Filter Outliers Carefully Profile & Validate Continuously
Distinguish between genuine anomalies and data errors, Implement ongoing data profiling tools to monitor
removing only justified outliers to improve model accuracy accuracy, completeness, and consistency, ensuring
without losing valuable insights sustained data quality over time
Real-World Impact: Data Cleaning
Success Stories
Tesla's Autopilot Excellence Marketing Campaign Success
Healthcare AI Advancement
Tesla's data-driven autopilot Companies implementing proper Clean patient records in healthcare
improvements rely on meticulously customer data cleaning processes AI systems significantly reduce
cleaned sensor data to reduce errors report conversion rate misdiagnoses and improve
and continuously enhance safety improvements of up to 20% through treatment recommendation
performance across their fleet more targeted and effective accuracy, saving lives and resources
campaigns
Tools and Techniques for Efficient Data Cleaning
Automated Tools
• Tableau Prep for visual data preparation
• OpenRefine for large-scale data cleaning
• Python libraries like pandas for custom solutions
• Data profiling tools for quality assessment
Best Practices
Establish repeatable data cleaning templates tailored to your specific datasets and
integrate cleaning processes into ETL pipelines for scalable workflows.
The Future of Data
Cleaning: Continuous and
AI-Enhanced
Ongoing Process
Increasing data volumes demand continuous cleaning
approaches rather than one-time fixes, with real-time quality
monitoring becoming essential
AI-Powered Solutions
Advanced AI tools can detect subtle inconsistencies, suggest
corrections, and automate complex cleaning tasks faster than
traditional methods
Business Innovation
Clean data serves as the foundation for trustworthy AI,
predictive analytics, and breakthrough business innovations
across all sectors
Clean Data, Clear Insights,
Confident Decisions
Critical Foundation Strategic Investment Take Action Today
Data cleaning isn't optional—it's Robust cleaning processes save costs, Begin by profiling your data, fixing
essential for unlocking your data's true improve accuracy, and empower teams errors, and building a culture of data
value and competitive advantage to make data-driven decisions quality excellence throughout your
confidently organisation
