Data, Information, Evidence, and Knowledge: A Proposal for Health Informatics and Data Science

Authors

  • Olaf Dammann Tufts University School of Medicine Dept. of Public Health & Community Medicine

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5210/ojphi.v10i3.9631

Abstract

In this commentary , I revisit and modify Ackoff’s data-information-knowledge-wisdom (DIKW) hierarchy. I suggest to de-emphasize the wisdom part and to insert evidence between information and knowledge (DIEK). This framework defines data as raw symbols, which become information when they are contextualized. Information achieves the status of evidence in comparison to relevant standards. Evidence is used to test hypotheses and is transformed into knowledge by success and consensus. As checkpoints for the transition from evidence to knowledge I suggest relevance, robustness, repeatability, and reproducibility.

Author Biography

Olaf Dammann, Tufts University School of Medicine Dept. of Public Health & Community Medicine

Professor and Vice Chair
Dept. of Public Health & Community Medicine
Tufts University School of Medicine

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Published

2019-03-05

How to Cite

Dammann, O. (2019). Data, Information, Evidence, and Knowledge: A Proposal for Health Informatics and Data Science. Online Journal of Public Health Informatics, 10(3). https://doi.org/10.5210/ojphi.v10i3.9631

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