Being Data-Informed

I've been thinking about the distinction between being data-informed and data-driven. As an organization grows and becomes more sophisticated, its capacity to capture potentially useful data increases. However, data doesn't magically transform itself into information, much less knowledge or wisdom:

The distinction is important, because knowledge and wisdom are needed to orient in a manner that informs the decision that lead to effective actions over time:

The increased need for data analysis capacity—and an appreciation for the role it plays—is one of the many factors that make the transition from small company to medium-sized company so interesting and challenging. An aspiration to be data-informed rather than data-driven is a useful framing.