I used to understand my own personal relationship between Information, Knowledge and Wisdom. In the past I've confounded the terms Information with Data, considering them to be the same exact thing, but there might be a subtle difference in the mix, right? Let me know what you think the relationship is between these man-made concepts. Why do we need these terms? Researched or more personal reactions to this question are both equally wanted, accepted and appreciated.

Lou,

If I had to try and explain the difference in simple terms, think of two fields in a database table, field_1 and field_2 or cells in a spread sheet, cell A1 and cell A2, each of these fields or cells contain a numeric value, the number “2”.

The digital representation of the number “2” is in-fact “data”, digitally speaking it can be deduced all the way down to its combination of 0s and 1s, called binary digits (or bits)

This is “data”.

Now, in order for this data to be useful, it needs to first be placed into ‘context’, so for our example we will create an ‘invoice’, so in the context of an invoice, field_1 and field_2 represent line item details and we need a total, so in the database instance we write an expression like SUM(NZ([field_1], 0) + NZ([field_2], 0) or an Excel formula like =SUM(A1:A2) to produce a new field or cell with a resulting value of “4” which is now what we call “information”.

So useful “information” was yielded from “data”, by using a "program" or a "process" (in our example, an expression or formula) which yielded a new piece of “information” (that did not previously exist) that is set in the “context” of an invoice.

It’s a simple explanation, but hopefully effective in showing the difference between “data” and “information” and more importantly the necessary components to produce “information” from “data”.

A great resource for computer and storage related vocabulary can be found online at SNIA (Storage Networking Industry Association) we spend a lot of time producing dictionaries so vendors and practitioners can apply a common vocabulary to sometimes complex and confusing concepts.

And to show the complexity of adding “context” a Terminology Bridge was developed to apply further context to dictionary definitions (see URL below).

Depending on the context the same term can take on a completely different meaning.

Good Luck,
Peter

http://www.snia.org/education/dictionary/d/

data

[Computer System] The digital representation of anything in any form.
http://www.snia.org/education/dictionary/i/

information

[Data Management] Data that is interpreted within a context such as an application or a process.

Terminology Bridge

http://www.snia.org/forums/dmf/knowledge/white_papers_and_reports/SNIA-DMF_Building-a-Terminology-Bridge_20090515.pdf
Links:

http://www.csi1000.com
http://www.snia.org/education/dictionary/
http://www.snia.org/forums/dmf/knowledge/white_papers_and_reports/SNIA-DMF_...

April 2011