Chapter1 : Data,Information,Knowledge,Wisdom

What is information?

A systems theorist and professor of organizational change, the content of the human mind can be classified into five categories:

Data... data is raw. It simply exists and has no significance beyond its existence (in and of itself). It can exist in any form, usable or not. It does not have meaning of itself. In computer parlance, a spreadsheet generally starts out by holding data.

Information... information is data that has been given meaning by way of relational connection. This "meaning" can be useful, but does not have to be. In computer parlance, a relational database makes information from the data stored within it.

Knowledge... knowledge is the appropriate collection of information, such that it's intent is to be useful. Knowledge is a deterministic process. When someone "memorizes" information (as less-aspiring test-bound students often do), then they have amassed knowledge. This knowledge has useful meaning to them, but it does not provide for, in and of itself, an integration such as would infer further knowledge. For example, elementary school children memorize, or amass knowledge of, the "times table". They can tell you that "2 x 2 = 4" because they have amassed that knowledge (it being included in the times table). But when asked what is "1267 x 300", they can not respond correctly because that entry is not in their times table. To correctly answer such a question requires a true cognitive and analytical ability that is only encompassed in the next level... understanding. In computer parlance, most of the applications we use (modeling, simulation, etc.) exercise some type of stored knowledge.

Wisdom... wisdom is an extrapolative and non-deterministic, non-probabilistic process. It calls upon all the previous levels of consciousness, and specifically upon special types of human programming (moral, ethical codes, etc.). It beckons to give us understanding about which there has previously been no understanding, and in doing so, goes far beyond understanding itself. It is the essence of philosophical probing. Unlike the previous four levels, it asks questions to which there is no (easily-achievable) answer, and in some cases, to which there can be no humanly-known answer period. Wisdom is therefore, the process by which we also discern, or judge, between right and wrong, good and bad. I personally believe that computers do not have, and will never have the ability to posses wisdom. Wisdom is a uniquely human state, or as I see it, wisdom requires one to have a soul, for it resides as much in the heart as in the mind. And a soul is something machines will never possess (or perhaps I should reword that to say, a soul is something that, in general, will never possess a machine).
Personally I contend that the sequence is a bit less involved than described by Ackoff. The following diagram represents the transitions from data, to information, to knowledge, and finally to wisdom, and it is understanding that support the transition from each stage to the next. Understanding is not a separate level of its own.

 Good and poor information

 What is good information
 
- Relevant: information must fulfill the needs of the user.

- Timely: information must be available when needed.

- Accurate and complete: All available information should be in right information.

- Concise: Information must be understandable to those who use it.

- Reduces uncertainly: Good information should meet userrequirements completely.

What is poor information?
 
- Irrelevant: when the information is too old or out-of-date.

- Swamping: it is not helpful when the information is too voluminous.

- Unclear: Information is poor when it is not presented in a way that will facilitate a decision.

- Not all threw: if information is incomplete, it may fail to provide a clear sense of the entirely of the problem.

Sources of Information

Information is derived from a variety of sources. These are described as...

Primary: This is the level at which the information is generated,making a scientific discovery, collecting data, recording and oral interview.

Secondary: it comments on events, discoveries, text books, encyclopedias, yearbooks, commentaries and articles in a serial.

Tertiary: Used to track exiting information, index and abstract, catalogues, bibliographies.

Information Literate

In order to use information effectively, it is important to become information literate. Information-literate people know how to find organize, evaluate and use information effectively to solve a particular problem or make a decision.

Information literacy involves knowing:

Which information is available?

Where it might be?

How it can be located and searched?

How it can be retrieved and stored?

How it can be processed and presented?

Information Overload:
Stress induced by reception of more information than is necessary to make a decision (or that can be understood and digested in the time available)and by attempts to deal with it with outdated time management practices

Users of Information:

There are many kinds of information users in the modern word, not just personal users. They include users in...

 - Business and industry

 - Education

 - Research and development

 - Entertainment

What is mind map?

A mind map is a diagram used to represent word, ideas, tasks, or other items linked to and arranged around a central key word or idea. Mind maps are used to generate, structure, and classify ideas, and as an aid to studying and organizing information, solving problems, making decisions, and writing.The elements of a given mind map are arranged intuitively according to the importance of the concepts, and are classified into groupings, branches, or areas, with the goal of representing semantic or other connections between portions of information. Mind maps may also aid recall of existing memories.

Reference

- http://www.systems-thinking.org/dikw/dikw.htm.
- http://www.scribd.com/doc/41269424/Define-Good-Information-2.
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_source