Most so-called ‘insights’ you’ll find in reports and presentations are just observations.
I believe the reason why we so often confuse insight for information has to do with how we manage the ever-increasing pile of data. There are roughly two ways to do so and lots of companies seem to consistently choose one over the other.
The convenient approach is to digest all the available data/information more efficiently. It requires more accessible tooling and more standardization. For lots of companies, this is the safe approach, because you don’t have to dismiss anything. Everything is readily available in your dashboards. The relevance of all those numbers and how they connect, however, nobody knows.
A better approach to manage data is to rigorously separate the wheat from the chaff and think hard about what the required metrics mean to your processes and goals. It demands being highly selective in what you measure and navigate on. It means taking the time to test assumptions, consider alternative explanations, do desk research, experiment, and dig into additional qualitative sources when deemed necessary. In summary, your data helps you navigate you through the wider business context.
Yes, that takes time. Not efficient, but certainly effective.