Tom, I agree that no decision should be made by the one who gathers and supplies the data without the work of others. However, in the decision process the one gathering the data is often crucial to the evaluation of that data. Any filtering, aggregation, normalization, and other valid or required manipulation of the data to become information needs to be explained to those pouring over it.

I have also been in the business for some time, and I have gathered both data and decision packages. I have often been involved in the decisions or at least in the discussions that led to the decisions. That should not be rare, but common.

But I have never been nor will I ever be the only one reviewing the data and making the decision. After decades of being in this and like business I have, like you, considerable knowledge of the processes, practices, validity, and quality of the data. When we were a rookies making a report, we followed certain instructions and did as we were told. Now after the years of experience I would hope that we are exercising the knowledge we gained concerning the business that our contribution is far greater, and our opinion considered. That is what we do.

M.