Data Vs Information Vs Knowledge

Let’s explain the difference between Data Vs Information Vs Knowledge by using an example of Baking Cookies.

Data: This is all the ingredients listed in your cookie recipe. It might include 1 cup of flour, ½ cup of sugar, 1 egg, and so on. This is just a list of separate things, not really telling you anything about the cookies themselves.

Information: This is when you start following the recipe’s instructions. You mix the flour and sugar, cream the butter and sugar together, add the egg – you’re taking those raw ingredients and putting them together in a specific way. Now you have a batter, which is much more informative than a simple list of ingredients.

Knowledge: This is what you gain from experience baking cookies before. You know that the right consistency of the batter is crucial. Maybe from a previous attempt, you know that if the batter is too dry, the cookies will be crumbly. This knowledge helps you adjust the recipe based on how the batter looks or feels, or even troubleshoot why your cookies might not turn out perfectly.

So, data is the basic ingredients, information is when you follow the recipe and combine them, and knowledge is the baking experience that helps you interpret the information (batter consistency) and achieve the desired outcome (delicious cookies)!