I remember the days when data was data, and information was a structured, usable form of that data. And then came knowledge, and a horde of definitions distinguishing data from information, and information from knowledge. We moved on from ‘data’ management to ‘information’ systems. And then we got ‘knowledge’ in knowledge management systems, knowledge bases, knowledge repositories, and more such systems.

I am often asked if this distinction even matters anymore. After all, Google has taken on itself the task of codifying and storing all the ‘knowledge’ that humankind has accumulated over the ages, and for most people, it seems to be succeeding in doing just that. (Although I beg to disagree)!! Imagine a world without Google today. Yes, it’s scary, but is it ‘knowledge’ that we get on Google, or merely ‘information’. Or is it ‘data’? Again, does it matter?

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