Continuum of Understanding

One gains knowledge through context (experiences) and
understanding.

When one has context, one can weave the various relationships of
experiences. The greater the context, the greater the variety of
experiences one is able to draw from.

The greater one understands the subject matter, the more one is able
to weave past experiences (context) into new knowledge by
absorbing, doing, interacting, and reflecting.

Thus, understanding is a continuum (Cleveland, 1982).

Data comes about through research, creation, gathering, and
discovery.

Information has context. Data is turned into information by
organizing it so one can easily draw conclusions. Data is also
turned into information by "presenting" it, such as expressing
it through visual or auditory means.

Knowledge has the complexity of experience, which comes
about by seeing it from different perspectives. Information is
static, but knowledge is dynamic as it lives within us.

Wisdom is the ultimate level of understanding. As with
knowledge, wisdom operates within us. We can share our
experiences that create the building blocks for wisdom,
however, it needs to be communicated with even more
understanding of the personal contexts of the audience than
with knowledge sharing.

Often, the distinctions between data, information, knowledge, and
wisdom are not very discrete, thus the distinctions between each
term may seem more like shade of gray, rather than black and
white (Shedroff, 2001).

Data and information deal with the past. They are based on the
gathering of facts and adding context. Knowledge deals with the
present. It lives within us and enables us to perform. However,
when we gain wisdom, we start dealing with the future as we are
then able to envision and design for what will be rather than for
what is or was.

Enabling Understanding

Dave Baldwin Consulting enables and
facilitates understanding through the
design and development of
consistent, repeatable processes in
which information is embedded as
knowledge.

Understanding is further enabled
through the design and development
of products that provide the context
in which information may be
understood and further integrated in
a lasting way on a personal level
thereby building a foundation of
wisdom.

Edited reference:
Clark, D. R. (2004), Understanding. Retrieved June 6, 2008 from http://nwlink.com/~donclark/performance/understanding.html

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The Continuum of Understanding