When creating a new field to track shipping status on Opportunity, what should the architect do to enhance data quality and avoid data skew?

Creating a picklist field for tracking shipping status on the Opportunity object enhances data quality and helps avoid data skew for several reasons.

Firstly, a picklist field provides predefined options that users can select from, which ensures that the data entered is consistent and standardized. This limits the possibility of users entering different variations of the same status, such as “Shipped,” “shipped,” “Shipped - On Time,” or “Delayed,” which could happen if a text field were used. By having a fixed set of values, it becomes easier to manage and report on the shipping statuses effectively.

Secondly, sorting the values alphabetically further contributes to user experience and efficiency. When users are presented with options in an organized manner, it allows them to quickly locate and select the appropriate value, reducing errors and time spent inputting data.

The other options do not align as effectively with the goal of enhancing data quality. For example, using a Master-Detail or a Lookup relationship to a custom object would introduce additional complexity into the data model and may not eliminate the potential for data inconsistencies, especially if not all Opportunities are linked to a ShippingStatus record. Creating a text field, while flexible, lacks the structure needed to ensure consistent entries, which directly impacts data quality