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Conclusion
Litigation support is a data-driven field, but no two analysis projects require the same EDA approach.
Every data set presents its own unique set of information and questions. You may find that a simple
completeness measurement is all that is necessary for one data set, while instead needing to perform a
comprehensive set of measurements for a more complex, lesser-understood data set. A key consideration
is how much do you need to know about a data set given the relative importance and risks of your analysis.
EDA is an approach that can help you more thoroughly interrogate your data and gain a deeper
understanding of it. The quality of your analysis work depends on how well you understand your data,
whether that be for document management, forensic analysis of an accounting system, or trial exhibit
preparation. EDA is an entire field with numerous books devoted to the subject. No one article can
fully cover the subject—and no two data analyses are performed in the exact same way. Instead, we
recommend that you evaluate and incorporate EDA when you are working with your next data set. You
undoubtedly already perform EDA in some form, and by expanding your usage of it, you will improve
the speed and reliably of your analysis. ILTA
Joe Sremack is director of forensic data
analytics in BDO Digital. Joe advises
clients on IT systems and large-scale data
for dispute and investigation matters. He
can be reached at jsremack@bdo.com.
Roxanne Wang is a manager of forensic
data analytics in BDO Digital. Roxanne
builds fraud analytics solutions and
performs IT system assessments to assist
clients on investigations and disputes. She
can be reached at rwang@bdo.com.
