What is information?

 DAY 2 

WHAT WE TALK WHEN WE TALK ABOUT INFORMATION...?

by - Tharindi Dilshika

What is information, really?

This may sound simple at first, but it is really a tricky idea when we think about it more. People believe that information is just "facts," but as we think about it more, we can see our regular life is completely attached to this information.

Well, let's get to a simple point that we do every day. What to eat for dinner..?

It's not a quick decision, right? We consider many facts in those minutes.

Am I very hungry, or only a little..

What food do I already have at home...

What did I eat earlier ..

Do I want something healthier or something comforting..

How much time do I have to cook?

These little facts don't exactly make the decisions, but they do really help. Having cheese in the fridge doesn't decide what to eat for dinner.

But when all came together, then we can make a clear decision according to all those facts.

Same as for designers.

designers collect research.. consumers' preferences.. examples..how they're gonna use this.. such as thousands of small facts. After all these facts come together designer can come up with the final design idea.

With real information, designers can choose colors, layouts, words and features that actually help people. Without information, designers would simply guess and hope for the best.

Well, what is information, then?

Information is not just data.

Information is data that has been comprehended, structured, and related. It's data that helps you act, decide, or solve problems. Data is the raw material. Information is the useful meaning that we create from it. We use information when deciding what to eat, what to wear, what to say, how to work, and how to design anything. Without information, we are simply reacting to random stuff. With information, we can make choices that suit our needs and goals.