Technology is rapidly creating a situation of information overload. On the Net there are so many references to my work that if you spent just two minutes on each reference it would take you sixty working years (9 a.m. to 5 p.m., five days a week) to access them all.
There are people who receive so many e-mails that they have little time for anything else. Matters will only get worse.

There is a huge need for some way of classifying information so that the receiver or searcher can tell, at once, its nature and value.

So an information code is part of the de Bono code. This code is put forward here. There is a huge need for it, especially on the Internet.

It may be argued that people will cheat and misuse the code in order to get more attention for their information. This is always a possibility. But sources that cheat will get such a bad reputation that all their information will be devalued and ignored. The word will spread that certain sources can be disregarded because of the dishonest classification of their information.

The information code indicates the type of information that follows the coding. The code does not guarantee the value or accuracy of that information.

The value of the code is that at a glance you can tell the nature of the information. Is it factual? Is it an opinion? Is it advocacy? Is it comprehensive?

If you want to book a flight you want factual information. If you want to choose a hotel for your holiday you may want a subjective opinion as well as factual information.