← QCE Digital Solutions Unit 2

Wisdom: using information to decide

Wisdom is using information and experience to make good decisions. It is the top step of the DIKW pyramid, above data and information, and it needs context to work.

Part of: QCE Digital Solutions Unit 2 — Data and Programming Techniques — Module 2

Understanding Wisdom: using information to decide in QCE Digital Solutions Unit 2

What it does: The forecast is information. Choosing to change the plan based on it and past experience is wisdom. The information is the same, but the context (home versus a hike) changes which decision is wise. Deciding what to do using the sales pattern is wisdom. The sales numbers themselves are data. The pyramid builds up from data at the bottom, to information, then knowledge, then wisdom at the top. Acting on the trend to improve results is wisdom. Recording the marks only stores data. This shows the DIKW steps in order. Each step adds meaning or judgement to the one before it.

Common mistakes: The variable was created as info, not infos. Printing an undefined variable fails. It should be print info. An if statement needs the keyword then after its condition. Using the information (score < 50) to make a decision is wisdom. The line should be if score < 50 then.

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 122–139) and word search (Modules 2–139).

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Learning

Duo

Which statement describes wisdom in the DIKW pyramid?

Using information and experience to make a good decisionRaw facts and figures that have not been organised

Matches

Data: 38 C Wisdom: 38 C

↓

The raw number is only data. Repeating it is not wisdom because no decision is made.

Applying

Meanings

Term

Wisdom

Meaning

Wisdom is using information and experience to make good decisions. It is the top step of the DIKW pyramid, above data and information, and it needs context to work.

Practice

rain <- 14

Testing

Gaps

← "Wear a hat at lunch"

Check Answer

Spots

2info <- "Max temp is " & data

3print infos

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Quick Questions

1. Which statement describes wisdom in the DIKW pyramid?

A. Using information and experience to make a good decision ✓

B. Raw facts and figures that have not been organised

Wisdom is the top step. It applies information and experience to decide what to do. Raw facts are data, the bottom step.

2. A school canteen sees that 'Pies sold: 120' on rainy days and 'Pies sold: 40' on sunny days. Which step of the pyramid is 'Order more pies when rain is forecast'?

A. Data

B. Wisdom ✓

Deciding what to do using the sales pattern is wisdom. The sales numbers themselves are data.

3. Which order of the DIKW pyramid is correct, from bottom to top?

A. Data, information, knowledge, wisdom ✓

B. Wisdom, knowledge, information, data

The pyramid builds up from data at the bottom, to information, then knowledge, then wisdom at the top.

4. Which is an example of data, not wisdom?

A. The numbers 31, 24, 19 in a list ✓

B. Deciding to take a jacket because the temperature is dropping

A list of numbers with no meaning is data. Choosing to take a jacket is a decision made using information, so it is wisdom.

5. Why does wisdom need context?

A. Context turns data into wisdom automatically without any thinking

B. The same information can lead to different good decisions in different situations ✓

Context such as the situation, goals and past experience decides which action is best. It does not make the decision for you.

Match the Pairs

Wisdom → Using information and experience to make a good decision

Data -> Information -> Wisdom → The path from raw facts, to facts with meaning, to a good decision

Wisdom turns information into a decision by applying experience → Information: Rain is forecast at 3 pm Wisdom: Move the footy training to the gym

Wisdom needs context, so the same information can lead to different decisions → Info: Battery is at 10% Wisdom at home: Charge it later Wisdom on a hike: Turn on power saving

Data: 38 C Wisdom: 38 C → The raw number is only data. Repeating it is not wisdom because no decision is made.

Wisdom = Data + Data + Data → Collecting more data does not create wisdom. Wisdom comes from applying information and experience.

Key Term

Wisdom

Wisdom is using information and experience to make good decisions. It is the top step of the DIKW pyramid, above data and information, and it needs context to work.

Fill in the Blanks

1. data ← 38 information ← "Today is hot" wisdom ← "Wear a hat at lunch"

Hint: Type the name of the top step of the pyramid, where information and experience are used to make a good decision.

2. data → information → wisdom

Hint: Type the middle step, where raw data is given meaning.

3. wisdom ← decide(information, context)

Hint: Type the second argument: the situation or background that wisdom needs before it can work.

4. data ← 38 information ← "Today is hot" wisdom ← "Wear a hat at lunch"

Hint: Type the variable name for the raw facts at the bottom of the pyramid.

5. if rain_chance > 70 then wisdom ← "Take an umbrella" end if

Hint: Type the keyword that starts a decision based on information.

Spot the Error

Question 1

A data <- 34

B info <- "Max temp is " & data

C print infos

D print "Take a water bottle"

Line C — The variable was created as info, not infos. Printing an undefined variable fails. It should be print info.

Question 2

A score <- 45

B if score < 50

C print "Revise before the exam"

D endif

Line B — An if statement needs the keyword then after its condition. Using the information (score < 50) to make a decision is wisdom. The line should be if score < 50 then.

Question 3

A sales <- 120

B target <- 100

C if sales < target then

D print "Order more stock"

E endif

Line C — The decision is backwards. Ordering more stock only makes sense when sales are above target, so the condition should be sales > target.

Question 4

A 12 <- rainfall

B if rainfall > 10 then

C print "Take an umbrella"

D endif

Line A — Assignment puts the value into the variable, so the variable goes on the left. The raw data should be stored with rainfall <- 12.

Question 5

A mark <- 62

B passMark <- 50

C if mark => passMark then

D print "Move on to next topic"

E else

F print "Revise first"

Line C — The 'greater than or equal to' operator is written >=, not =>. The line should be if mark >= passMark then.

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