…make it possible to expect the unexpected when it comes to analyzing patterns in data. What we need are easily configurable systems that enable reporters to ask questions of data in a consistent manner and then provide results in a way that makes sense for journalists.
I’m not talking about bland TPS reports but something that turns a piece of data into a potential story. For example, if a local congressman has received donations from executives of XYZ Corp. every March in previous election years, but not this year, then that’s potentially newsworthy; maybe XYZ isn’t giving as much, but maybe they no longer support the local politician, or are a bellwether of a lack of business support. In this case, the absence of data – something that’s very hard for people to spot in pages of filings – is the trigger event that can cause a reporter to follow up.
