Target Point

Data Are Not Information

“Data are not information.”  So writes Jeff Stanger in a recent blog post that really struck a nerve here at TargetPoint.  He writes: 

“Data and information are not synonyms.  Data only have the potential to inform.  They are half the equation.  Information equals data plus communication.”

The fact is data are dumb.  There is nothing inherently smart, useful or insightful about data, but they are the raw material of information and knowledge; a necessary precondition that, once manipulated by an information craftsman, becomes something useful.  

The problem many campaigns face is that they are, to quote Stanger’s article again, “awash in data, but barely wet with information.”  

It is, unfortunately, an important but frequently overlooked distinction, and one that the TargetPoint team strives to make in its work.  Indeed, you’ll notice that our company’s value statement is “Data>>Knowledge>>Solutions.”  (In fact, an earlier draft actually had inserted “Information” between data and knowledge though it was dropped in favor of brevity).  The point being that the generation and obtainment of data has become a commodity – there are any number of companies that can conduct a poll or match data or provide lists for your campaign.  But many fall short when it comes to communicating the data’s meaning to your organization.  The data remains dumb, hindering its ascension to information, knowledge and, ultimately, the solutions you need to succeed.

The article is a provocative must-read; read the whole thing here: link.