Content Hierarchy

Content consists of a hierarchy of content types, with usefulness as a unit of measure on one axis (usefulness increasing vertically), and content quantity as a unit of measure on the other axis (shown in the content pyramid figure below).

Content = data + info + knowledge + business intelligence

Data is the foundation of the content hierarchy in an enterprise. In an enterprise context, data represents facts or values of results, and relations between data and other relations that have the capacity to represent information. Enterprises do not lack data; in fact, that is the major problem – too much data, and it’s not very useful.

Data = facts + values + relations with other data

The key idea here is the “capacity” to represent information. Data by itself is not very useful unless a way is found to interpret data, and the interpretation needs to be handled by a computer when data content repositories or silos are large. Therefore, computers need information about content to automatically handle data and structure to access data. Hence, the use of XML tags that add computer sensible information about data, add intelligence about the data, and help convert data into information.

Info = data + structure + data intelligence

Patterns of relations of data content and information and other patterns have the capacity to represent knowledge. Again, the “capacity” to represent knowledge requires that, at a minimum, that the content be intelligent and structured. And knowledge must be shared across the enterprise and serve as the foundation for collaboration.

Knowledge = info + shared access across enterprise + patterns

Having knowledge and access to intelligent data content is still not sufficient in an enterprise. There must be an underlying business needs and business rules to use the knowledge, and this drives the need for business intelligence-driven, knowledge-based, structured, intelligent data content.

Business intelligence = knowledge + business rules + business needs

Content Types

Content types used in an electronic component database include all of the following:

• Files – pdf datasheets, pdf manuals, white papers, application notes, pricing spreadsheets, etc.; content types that have a file structure and a file type extension; .doc, .xls, .pdf, .html, etc.
• Images – block diagrams, package outlines, timing diagrams, internal register maps, etc. that have image file type extensions; .gif, jpeg, etc.
• Text – specifically and collectively, text representing attributes that describe detailed specifications, and in most cases, technical parameters that uniquely identify a device

Conclusion

Businesses have too much data in their enterprise repositories and data silos, and not enough information, knowledge, or intelligence. Businesses ultimately need intelligent, structured information that supports the ability to research, collect, and organize an enterprise’s total intellectual property assets. Without this accurate asset, businesses continue to waste money by making poor decisions based on inaccurate content, and businesses will lose their competitive edge.

Pinpoint Decisions' Search Management System helps you locate useful data to transform into information so knowledge management and business intelligence tools can now help make informed and accurate business decisions, and in turn, provide that competitive edge.