Review Haystack Syndrome
Goldratt, E. M. 1990. The Haystack Syndrome: Sifting Information Out of the Data Ocean. New York: North River Press.
Summary by Sean Murphy
Master of Business Administration Program
University of South Florida, Spring 2003
Theory of Constraints Main Page | The Goal | What is this thing called TOC?
Written in 1990, this book is still ahead of its time. The issue of data and information incongruence continues to be a hot-button issue in every boardroom. A "must" for every manager concerned with meeting the challenges of the 21st century. Examines the differences between data and information in a new light, and shows precisely how misunderstanding those differences can affect the quality of the decision-making process.
PART I (FORMALIZING THE DECISION PROCESS)
1. Data, information and the Decision process - How they relate
We are drowned in oceans of data; nevertheless it seems as if we seldom have sufficient information. Goldratt examines the key differences between data and information. Data is any answer while information is "the answer" to the question asked. In fact, he points out that what we call information systems are really just immense data systems. They tend to collect and store volumes of data and produce mammoth scores of reports—but fail to answer the questions we need to answer. The decision process itself is imbedded in any good information system and the decision process is changing. If we want information systems and not just data systems, we need to adjust accordingly.
Goldratt recounts an Israeli legend of an Army captain who decided to stop printing a certain report. This huge report was run periodically and distributed in paper copy to several locations. When the report ceased to exist, only one complaint was recorded…from the person who 's job it was to neatly file the reports.
2. What a company tries to achieve
Just in time (JIT) is not just reduction of inventory on the shop floor or a Kanban technique—it is a new
Summary by Sean Murphy
Master of Business Administration Program
University of South Florida, Spring 2003
Theory of Constraints Main Page | The Goal | What is this thing called TOC?
Written in 1990, this book is still ahead of its time. The issue of data and information incongruence continues to be a hot-button issue in every boardroom. A "must" for every manager concerned with meeting the challenges of the 21st century. Examines the differences between data and information in a new light, and shows precisely how misunderstanding those differences can affect the quality of the decision-making process.
PART I (FORMALIZING THE DECISION PROCESS)
1. Data, information and the Decision process - How they relate
We are drowned in oceans of data; nevertheless it seems as if we seldom have sufficient information. Goldratt examines the key differences between data and information. Data is any answer while information is "the answer" to the question asked. In fact, he points out that what we call information systems are really just immense data systems. They tend to collect and store volumes of data and produce mammoth scores of reports—but fail to answer the questions we need to answer. The decision process itself is imbedded in any good information system and the decision process is changing. If we want information systems and not just data systems, we need to adjust accordingly.
Goldratt recounts an Israeli legend of an Army captain who decided to stop printing a certain report. This huge report was run periodically and distributed in paper copy to several locations. When the report ceased to exist, only one complaint was recorded…from the person who 's job it was to neatly file the reports.
2. What a company tries to achieve
Just in time (JIT) is not just reduction of inventory on the shop floor or a Kanban technique—it is a new