First Blog Assignment

1. Define the meaning of the terms data, information and knowledge according to Thomas Davenport's Information Hierarchy (1997).

Data factual information, unprocessed, often numerical

Information a collection of facts communicated for some purpose
i.e meaningful data.

Knowledge is the state of knowing and understanding for future recall [2]


2. What are the characteristics of the above terms?
i. Data: Distinct pieces of information, usually formatted in a special way. All software is divided into two general categories: data and program. Programs are collections of instruction for manipulating data.

Data can exist in a variety of forms -- as numbers or text on pieces of paper, as bits and bytes stored in electronic memory, or as facts stored in a person's mind.

in a simple fact, data is the plural of datum, a single piece of information. In practice, however, people use data
as both the singular and plural form of words. [3]

ii Information: In general, raw data that has been verified to be accurate and timely, is specific and organized for a purpose, is presented within a context that gives it meaning and relevance, and which leads to increase in understanding and decrease in uncertainty. The value of information lies solely in its ability to affect a behavior, decision, or outcome. A piece of information is considered valueless if, after receiving it, things remain unchanged. For the technical meaning of information see information theory. [4]

iii knowledge: is defined in the Oxford dictionary as (i) expertise, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject, (ii) what is known in a particular field or in total; facts and information or (iii) awareness or familiarity gained by experience of a fact or situation [5]

3. Give and example for each term mentioned above.

Data represents a fact or statement of event without relation to other things.

Ex: It is raining.

Information embodies the understanding of a relationship of some sort, possibly cause and effect.

Ex: The temperature dropped 15 degrees and then it started raining.

Knowledge represents a pattern that connects and generally provides a high level of predictability as to what is described or what will happen next.

Ex: If the humidity is very high and the temperature drops substantially the atmospheres is often unlikely to be able to hold the moisture so it rains. [1]

4. Is there any possibility of a fourth level of Information Hierarchy? Elaborate.

yes. there is a fourth level of information hierarchy which is 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 [1]

reference

http://www.systems-thinking.org/dikw/dikw.htm [1]

http://www.maxwideman.com/issacons/iac1013d/sld004.htm [2]

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/D/data.html [3]

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/information.html [4]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knowledge [5]