What is Information?

Data: Collection of facts (opinions, demographics, statistics)

But Data is not information……

Data: Collection of facts (opinions, demographics, statistics) Information: * A message received and understood

Data: Collection of facts (opinions, demographics, statistics) Information: A message received and understood A collection of facts from which conclusions may be drawn Knowledge acquired through study, or experience, or instruction * Information as the result of processing, manipulating and organizing data in a way that adds to the knowledge of the person receiving it.

Information: Something that changes What you know.

Information: It is a commodity. It is property.

Information: 1. Value Dependent upon the value of decisions that can be made with a change in what you know. Value = Benefit - Costs

In a business sense the value of information could be Negative.

Information: 1. Value 2. Amount Not dependent upon length or complexity Amount is inversely proportional to the probability of the message

Claude Shannon

Three pictures Each has the same number of pixels So each has the same amount of: DATA

Three pictures Each has the same number of pixels Each was judged to have the same amount of artistic and esthetical appeal.

Three pictures Each has the same number of pixels Each was judged to have the same amount of Artistic and esthetical appeal. So each as the same amount of: Quality

The print media stays in business by selling advertisements and influence Because…. People will be attracted to the media when they find something that they didn’t already know.

In other words… people are attracted to and buy Information Even if it is wrong!

Editors will then buy material that will sell….

Three pictures A. People enjoying a nice afternoon by an office building

Three pictures B. A map of a new high-rise business building.

Three pictures C. President Obama meeting with a real alien

Three pictures A. People enjoying a nice afternoon by an office building B. A map of a new high-rise business building C. Obama meeting an alien Which one will be worth the most money?

Three pictures A. People enjoying a nice afternoon by an office building B. A map of a new high-rise business building C. Obama meeting an alien Which one that has the lowest probability!

Information: 1. Value 2. Amount 3. “Goodness” Ability to be used to make correct decisions.

“Goodness” Ability to be used to make correct decisions. Reliability Validity Relevancy Currency Sufficiency Efficiency Try:

Information: 1. Value 2. Amount 3. “Goodness” 4. Evaluation

Information: Evaluation Who produced it? When was it produced? How was it produced? How was it analyzed? Why was it produced? Who benefits from this information? Why is this information available to me?

Information: Warning signs: Confirms what you have always known. Confirms what you WANT to believe. Contradicts what you have always known.

Information: Warning signs: Confirms what you have always known. Confirms what you WANT to believe. Contradicts what you have always known. Is GOOD THINK.

Information: GOOD THINK: The “proper” way to think about any topic. The “politically correct” way to think. George Orwell book “1984”

Global Warming

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