Knowledge and Information Visualization

formation. The basic ideas underlying knowledge visualization and information vi- alization are outlined. In a short preview of the contributions of this volume, the idea behind each approach and its contribution to the goals of the book are outlined. 2 The Basic Concepts of the Book Three basic concepts are the focus of this book: „data“, „information“, and „kno- edge“. There have been numerous attempts to define the terms „data“, „information“, and „knowledge“, among them, the OTEC Homepage „Data, Information, Kno- edge, and Wisdom“ (Bellinger, Castro, & Mills, see http://www. syste- thinking. org/dikw/dikw. htm): Data are raw. They are symbols or isolated and non-interpreted facts. Data rep- sent a fact or statement of event without any relation to other data. Data simply exists and has no significance beyond its existence (in and of itself). It can exist in any form, usable or not. It does not have meaning of itself.