Future observing runs with ground-based gravitational-wave interferometers promise to rapidly increase the detection rate of signals and the breadth of science we can probe with gravitational waves. However, these discoveries are often hampered by the realistic features of detector data that violate many of the core assumptions of our current data analysis methods. To address these problems, numerous techniques are employed to identify and mitigate problems in the detectors that may impact the detection or analysis of gravitational-wave signals. As the event rate grows, these procedures will also need to evolve to quickly and generically address the wide variety of problems that may impact each new signal. In this talk, I will detail the current state-of-the-art methods to characterize the performance of gravitational-wave detectors, address common data issues that impact the analysis of transient gravitational-wave signals, and explore how the field can adapt to the big data challenges on the horizon.