Global Connections

In the second workshop on the opening morning of the 2nd European Summit on Measurement (ie: the AMEC Conference), panelist Mark Westaby started his presentation with 'I will be the most hated person at this conference'. His discussion was about automated analysis a label that I believe is slightly misleading. I think a better label would be automated data extraction with human analysis of the aggregated data to pick out the key insights. Mark Westaby, if my interpretation is incorrect, please let me know so that I can correct my interpretation.

 

Over the course of the next two days, automated data extraction accuracy levels were questioned by a series of speakers in different contexts. The speakers questioning accuracy felt that close enough is not good enough and that we must have and maintain standards.
 

On the second day of the conference, the delegates voted on seven Key Principles. The most contentious principle was you guessed it – about AVE. The principle was passed with a small majority. My reading of the delegate mood was that the overwhelming reason that delegates were against the Principle was the Industry was legitimising AVE through one of the three points in the principle.
 

I believe the reaction to automated data aggregation and the result of the AVE vote highlights tension in the industry between those who lean more towards pure research and those who are more commercially orientated.
 

Where you fit into this continuum is probably a little bit immaterial because I think those in the Industry who will ultimately decide for commercial organisations like us at Media Monitors is the client. We of course will have a choice about whether we feel morally we can service a clients request. If our conscious is clear, it is profitable and there is strong client demand, then I would be highly surprised if we would not service client requests.