[Sigia-l] Serious Discussion of IA Research?

From: Adele.Framer_at_wellsfargo.com ((Adele.Framer_at_wellsfargo.com))
Date: Mon Nov 29 2004 - 15:30:55 EST

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Replying to Boniface Lau, Ed Housman (enjoy your posts, Ed), et al:

I am surprised the data vs information discussion has not yet made reference
to Russell Ackoff's foundation work in knowledge management -- so I'll do
it!

Starting in 1988, Dr. Ackoff posited the hierarchy of data --> information
--> knowledge --> understanding --> wisdom, with wisdom being of the highest
value to individuals, organizations, and even societies.

This formulation is affectionately known as DIKW (Ackoff's "understanding"
stage was a later addition to the hierarchy). The distinction between data
and information is that information is 'data that are processed to be
useful; provides answers to "who", "what", "where", and "when" questions"'
(Bellinger, Castro, Mills http://www.systems-thinking.org/dikw/dikw.htm).

As a practicing information architect (writer, editor, layout designer,
systems analyst, big-T IA) for the last 20 years, I've let DIKW be my guide.
I practice converting data as far up the food chain as possible, with wisdom
-- the application of understanding -- being my ultimate goal. But, jobs
being what they are, usually I only get as far as converting data into
information.

Ackoff surely belongs in the information architecture pantheon alongside
Tufte, Norman, and other gods.

For more info on DIKW and Ackoff:

http://www-personal.si.umich.edu/~nsharma/dikw_origin.htm

http://www.systems-thinking.org/dikw/dikw.htm

http://cqmextra.cqm.org/cqmjournal.nsf/reprints/rp07300

http://www.gbn.com/PersonBioDisplayServlet.srv?pi=22650

http://www.acasa.upenn.edu/scholarly.htm

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