Most knowledge workers spend their time involved in pattern recognition, and data are the raw material in the knowledge worker's pattern recognition process. For a pattern to emerge, there has to be some repetition of an event. Once the information set contains repeating elements (i.e., the expenses for November 26, 1998, 1999, and 2000), then we can say that a potential pattern is embedded into the information. We use layers of abstraction to make these patterns more visible.

Discovering and communicating these potential patterns in data relies on the capability to effectively create abstractions. Effective knowledge workers draw on their repertoire of abstractions to find new insights and opportunities in the available information and data patterns.

Abstraction helps us interpret and expand complex data and information patterns. Systems grow more sophisticated by growing additional layers of abstraction. For example, ancient humans conducted almost all economic dealings by barter (I'll trade my chunk of mammoth meat for your chunk of flint) or by theft. As social structures grew and increased in complexity, another layer of abstraction was added money. This new layer created the opportunity for more and more layers of abstraction (e.g., debt, common stock, interest), which allowed the system to become increasingly complex and powerful.

Luckily for us, with layers of abstraction it is not necessary to have complete knowledge about something in order to make appropriate use of it. For instance, consider the telephone: One can enjoy talking on the phone without knowing how to design...