90 Things That Are Information

John Spacey, December 06, 2022

Information is meaning that can be recorded, communicated and used. This includes data recorded by machines such as sensors and knowledge that exists as human understanding. There are also many types of information designed to convert data into knowledge such as a graph or chart. The following are common entities or things that can be considered information.

Assumptions	Behavioral Data - information about what humans are doing
Books	Brochures
Budgets	Calculations
Concepts	Constraints
Conversations	DNA
Data - information represented by machine or system	Databases
Designs	Directives
Discussions	Disinformation
Documents	Emails
Events - information about something that has happened or will happen	Facts
Films	Financial Statements
Formulas	Graphics
Graphs	Guidelines
Ideas	Ingredients
Interaction Data - information about human-machine interaction such as how you move your mouse	Journals
Key Performance Indicators	Know-how
Knowledge - information understood by a human	Known Unknowns - information about what you don't know
Ledgers	Letters
Location Data	Logic
Logs	Maps
Materials e.g. learning materials	Measurements
Media	Meeting Minutes
Memes	Messages
Methods	Metrics
Misinformation	Models
Music	Myths
Notes	Observations
Patterns	Perceptions
Photographs	Policies
Posts	Presentations
Principles	Probabilities
Processes	Propaganda
Proposals	Rationales
Reasons	Records
Requirements	Risks
Rules	Rumors
Screens	Sensor Data
Situational Awareness - e.g. a driver who sees a pedestrian	Slogans
Social Media Posts / Messages	Specifications
Standards	Stories
Strategies	Symbols
Tables - e.g. table of figures	Theories
Trade Secrets	Transaction Data
Values	Videos
Visuals	Web Pages

Information as Thing

Information-as-thing is the practice of viewing data as a static entity that exists at a time and place. This can be contrasted with information-as-process that views information in terms of its effect on processes as they occur. A third view, information-as-knowledge views information in terms of human processes such as communication.