label first, then transcend the labels

Several institutions agree on the hierarchy of data to information, information to knowledge, knowledge to wisdom.

Data – Facts that are relevant to an endeavor
Information – A PowerPoint containing facts
Knowledge – Integrated powerpoints by label
Wisdom – Actionable, second nature

The information age has produced more documentation than anyone can consume.  Technological and social filters are the first mechanisms to correlate data.  Filters work much better when they have something to queue, hence the advent of meta-data.

If the information age has brought us all the policies, procedures, white papers and technical manuals we can handle, knowledge allows us to see the potential overlap in policies, procedures, etc.

Once all the fluff and overlap are identified and eliminated, governance is simple and effective, one step closer to wisdom.