Is it really possible to drown in too much information?
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According to the Business Intelligence experts, vendors and commentators, we ‘are drowning in information’, ‘have too much information’, ‘have growing databases of information’, etc. Am I the only one who winces every time I hear/read such nonsense?
As individuals, we are certainly being subjected to a deadening amount of ‘data noise’, and Businesses certainly have vast amounts of data which in most cases, is mismanaged and as a consequence, mistrusted, not used or misunderstood and misused.
It’s impossible to have "too much information" – it’s simply a nonsense thing to say (unless perhaps, you are asking too many of the wrong questions? :-)
“Information can only be information when it is answering the question asked†(Adapted from Obeng)
If the stuff you have in your databases, in your email, excel and powerpoint does not answer your specific question, is of poor quality or not trusted or used, then it’s no more than a business liability - (definitely not information!)
If your experts, partners, and/or vendors gaily misuse the term information, be afraid, be very afraid. And if I see any more nonsensical statements, I'll name and shame - You've been warned :-)
