Actionable Data

Definition: Actionable data are bits of information that can lead to change.

What This Means: The term actionable data arose because the proliferation of data became overwhelming and the use of data remained low. “Actionable” is earned by data when they inform a decision or action leading to change—or continuation of a successful process. For data to be actionable, they need to be presented in a form that provides the insight a user must have to take action. The term data might better have been or information to emphasize that decision making requires that the data be analyzed and presented to be understandable and interpretable. So, all data are not actionable. (See Max Yield Data.)

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