1. The Nature of the Information Life Cycle
Information does not exist in a vacuum; it always exists within a life cycle. A critical rule for
your test is that information cannot exist separate from human beings. When information
is "taken out" of a person and recorded, it is represented as data.
The 7-Step Simplified Cycle
This cycle represents the movement from human thought to recorded data and back to human
thought:
1. Generate: An individual creates information through daily activities.
2. Gather: This information is collected as data in various formats (text, electronic,
etc.).
3. Organise: Data is structured so a recipient can understand its meaning.
4. Storage: Data is placed in a usable format, such as books, for later distribution.
5. Retrieval: An individual finds and retrieves the data from the storage medium.
6. Distribution: Data is provided to others in a way that promotes usability.
7. Use: The individual accesses the data. If they understand it and add meaning, it
becomes information.
Note on understanding: If the data has no meaning to the recipient, it remains data and does
not become information.
2. Extended and Internal Cycles
Extended Life Cycle: This only happens to information stored as data. For example,
books in a library can be stored for a very long time, extending the cycle, but can still
be accessed at any time.
Knowledge-Information-Knowledge Cycle: This occurs entirely within the mind of
the individual. It is 100% associated with a human being.
Information-Data-Information Cycle: This is the process of turning human thought
into data and back again.
3. Vickery’s Information Life Cycle
Vickery’s model is more detailed and splits information flow into Direct (A) and Indirect
(B) paths.
Route A: Direct Flow (Person-to-Person)
This occurs directly between two people.
Information does not exist in a vacuum; it always exists within a life cycle. A critical rule for
your test is that information cannot exist separate from human beings. When information
is "taken out" of a person and recorded, it is represented as data.
The 7-Step Simplified Cycle
This cycle represents the movement from human thought to recorded data and back to human
thought:
1. Generate: An individual creates information through daily activities.
2. Gather: This information is collected as data in various formats (text, electronic,
etc.).
3. Organise: Data is structured so a recipient can understand its meaning.
4. Storage: Data is placed in a usable format, such as books, for later distribution.
5. Retrieval: An individual finds and retrieves the data from the storage medium.
6. Distribution: Data is provided to others in a way that promotes usability.
7. Use: The individual accesses the data. If they understand it and add meaning, it
becomes information.
Note on understanding: If the data has no meaning to the recipient, it remains data and does
not become information.
2. Extended and Internal Cycles
Extended Life Cycle: This only happens to information stored as data. For example,
books in a library can be stored for a very long time, extending the cycle, but can still
be accessed at any time.
Knowledge-Information-Knowledge Cycle: This occurs entirely within the mind of
the individual. It is 100% associated with a human being.
Information-Data-Information Cycle: This is the process of turning human thought
into data and back again.
3. Vickery’s Information Life Cycle
Vickery’s model is more detailed and splits information flow into Direct (A) and Indirect
(B) paths.
Route A: Direct Flow (Person-to-Person)
This occurs directly between two people.
