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Chapter 6 ■ Service Transition
WISDOM
KNOWLEDGE
INFORMATION
DATA
Figure 6-7. The data-to-information to knowledge-to-wisdom pyramid model
Across the ITIL lifecycle phases, data are extracted during every process. Reports
are prepared, and analysis is performed and presented to various stakeholders. All this is
possible because the right set of data is captured in the first place. The DIKW pyramid/
model showcases how the data, which are nothing but numbers, can go through various
stages of transformation in becoming something usable and useful and to trigger
improvements.
6.4.4.3.1 Data
Data are the most basic units that you can capture. Examples can be 54 incidents, 23
services, 6 changes, and so on. They indicate a number or quantify the element that is
measured. But they are mere numbers, and numbers by themselves don’t mean anything.
Think about it. If I say 22 movies, am I conveying information that you could use without
providing some additional information?
Data are a set of discrete facts.
So, to put it simply, data by themselves are useless. They are a set of discrete
facts, and every organization captures tons of data daily. Unless you pad them up with
relevancy, they are as good as junk. Let’s see how data can be made useful.
6.4.4.3.2 Information
Numbers don’t tell you the story behind them. Unless you have the context associated
with the numbers, they mean zilch. Information, as the word literally indicates, provides
you the basic context to go with the data.
Information comes from providing context to data.
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