What it is
The DIKW pyramid (data, information, knowledge, wisdom) is one common way to tell these apart:
- Data are discrete facts or observations, with little value until they get context.
- Information is data organized so it serves a purpose.
- Knowledge is what a person makes of information: knowing that something is true, and knowing how to do something.
- Wisdom sits on top, usually described as knowing what to do with what you know.
Critics point out the layers aren’t that clean, and there’s no settled definition of any of them. It’s still a useful map.
How it shows up for me
I can read a hundred articles and end up with information and no knowledge. Knowledge for me only happens when I use it: cook the recipe, ship the code, try the parenting idea at dinner. Everything else is inventory.