Though it appears difficult to find instances where planners use information to make decisions, this perception is due to a limited conception of information. Three examples show the power of information, but require a view of information as subjective and socially constructed. Its influence comes through myths which tacitly shape policy, through negotiation over concepts and methods and through standard operating procedures. This information defines rather than solves problems and is often implicit. Its influence depends on its being constructed through a social process involving users. The danger that it can become institutionalized and misleading must be addressed through the method of critique, assuring open debate over its assumptions.