Information Inflation

Information is becoming less and less valuable over time. Why? Because there's so much more of it than yesterday. And we all know there will be even more tomorrow.

Ultimately, information is of indirect value at best. Just because I know something is good doesn't mean I'll do it. Just because you know something is bad doesn't mean you'll stop doing it. Just because we do something doesn't mean we learned how to do it first, and then applied knowledge to produce an end result.

Most teams that I've ever been on are mostly winging it most of the time. Because it's actually safer that way! We bring our skills and experience to the game, sure, but then we collectively improvise from there and rise to the occasion to deliver what we can with what we have.

I have a degree, and am certified in a few things (certifiable, some say!). But I can't tell you the last time I stopped in the middle of project I was managing to make sure I was applying proper project management principles or changing in accordance with my change management certification's documented methodology. Ain't nobody got time for that!

And when is the last time you had all the pieces of the puzzle you need to solve in your work? When was the last time your scope didn't change in the middle of what you were delivering? Or new data or wasn't introduced in the middle of your analysis? Or new questions weren't being asked while the report build was happening?

I hear rumors that is wasn't always this way in The Beforetimes. But in 2024 it very much is, across industries and roles from what I can tell.

My point is that our relationship to information is changing. And therefore our relationship to knowledge is changing. And therefore our relationship to learning is changing.

And therefore it's time to try stuff we haven't done before. That's the path of LEAST risk! Because the one thing we know won't work is what worked yesterday. Anything but that.