The Relationship Between Data, Information, And Knowledge

Information can be defined and transmitted in a multitude of different ways, and how we use and talk about specific information is extremely significant in an increasingly “information-based” global economy. The relationships between data, information, and knowledge combined with the basic understanding of all three are the elements that make up the wisdom of human beings. Throughout five articles, one can obtain the detailed characteristics and develop their own point of view on humanistic wisdom through the ideas of Russell Ackoff, Gene Bellinger, Ashley Braganza, Michael Buckland, and C.E. Shannon. In the world of information, there is a great amount of questioning regarding the true difference in the power of a machine compared to the power of a …show more content…
Data is the very bottom level of broken down information, which consists of facts, symbols and numbers that represent the characteristics of objects and events. Data becomes information when it is processed and its usefulness is enhanced, creating the functional (not structural) difference between the two. As data is further processed, it has an increase in availability to apply and effectiveness. “Information is contained in descriptions, answers to questions that begin such words as who, what, when, where, and how many. Knowledge is conveyed by instructions, answers to how-to questions. Understanding is conveyed by explanations, answers to why questions.” (Ackoff, 1999, p. 171) This quote allows the reader to interpret the differences in effectiveness, which is the measure of evaluated efficiency, between data, information, and knowledge. After knowledge comes understanding, which is the intelligence that is needed in order to create growth