These above definitions are from two different dictionaries
This is my graphical representation of how these terms, data, knowledge and information are connected to each other. The data is raw, it is what it is, it only has meaning when you can connect it with something. Information is data that means something in a useful connection. Knowledge is where you can use the data and the ideas you gain from this to use it to develop your own concepts and applications.
A list of at least 5 organisations that collect information from their clients or the public. Why do they collect this information?
CentreLink, to keep track of earnings and benefits paid so they know if people are receiving correct entitlements.
Bureau of Statistics, form a picture of where Australian society is at so they predict what may happen in the future. This will help government formulate policies and introduce new ideas to assist and cope with future population needs.
Banks, keep track of peoples savings and loans. Work out whether to increase services or decrease services or provide new services.
Schools, so they know the population of their schools, to be able to allocate funds and equipment appropriately. Follow students progress through marks.
Hospitals, so they can provide appropriate care and chart progress or decline.
This weeks lecture was about data, information and knowledge. An outline of the characteristics of data: factual, non judgemental, transient, has no immediate meaning or value.
The characteristics of information: summative, relational, dimensional, permanent, it has meaning but how valuable is that meaing.
The characteristics of knowledge: it infers something, judgemental, subjective and very valuable.
Examples of (sampled) data are price, shares, exchange rates
Examples of (measured) data are weather, census data
Examples of (historical) information are almanacs, tables of census data
Examples of (recorded) information are budgets, minutes of meetings
Examples of knowledge are white papers, press releases, marketing strategies.
The relationship between data, information and knowledge is that data is composed of individual facts which on their own has a very limited value. Information is a collection of facts that establishes a pattern and precendent in order to generate. Knowledge is how human experience and learning is applied to information in order to make sense of it and form predictions to how things may work in the future.
This weeks readings were about data, information and knowledge and importantly the relationship between them.
Data on its own has limited value, but as you combine it all together it becomes more significant. If enough information is collected it can be used to build knowledge. Knowledge is what you know!!
The knowledge is only as good as the information used to build it, which is only as good as the data collected.
Questions to ask about information are;
What is it?
Who is collecting?
Why are they collecting it?
People sometimes talk about knowledge as a strength or as a power. In this "information age", knowledge is the new currency. Like any currency it is unevenly distributed. The knowlege economy has both knowledge rich and knowledge poor people.
According to Russell Ackoff, systems theorist and professor of organisational change. The content of the human mind is classified into 5 categories;
Data,(symbols)
Information, (data considered useful)answers who,what,where,when
Knowledge, (applying data,information) answers how
Understanding, (appreciation of why)
Wisdom (evaluated understanding)
Ackoff indicates the first 4 categories relate to the past, the fifth relates to the future because it incorporates vision and design.
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