Information and Data

What’s the difference between two?• Information systems = hardware and software working together…• It will take DATA that has been put INPUT and

convert it into INFORMATION• In other words an information system

processes the DATA to produce INFORMATION

Data

Data is raw facts and figures which have nomeaning and have been put into context

( given a purpose)

Example: This is a set of data:87,05,90,39,97.

As its , it has no meaning, the number could meananything (within reason)

However this Data can be given a purpose or acontext…

68, 90, 59, 48,59

It will become INFORMATION when I tell youthat they are percentages for this years ICTexamination

68%, 90%, 59%, 48%,59%

The DATA has now become INFORMATION sinceit has been given a meaning….

….INFORMATION occurs when DATA has been PROCESSED….

*Processed means taking the values and manipulating them( doing something with them)….

InformationInformation is data which has been processed to

give it meaning

When we have information we can come up withconclusions and answer questions about the data.

From our data, we can find out more!! Now thatwe know what it means….

Information= Data + Context + Meaning

…ICT system produce information which hasbeen formatted so that a user can make use of it( understand it)….

…Information can be paper-based e.g. a reportor electronic e.g. a chart shown on a screen

Data Types

• Text- alphanumeric• Numeric• Date/ Time• Currency• Boolean e.g. yes/no• Image• Sound

• All data is stored in a table• A database is a persistent collection of data or

information which is held together in an organized or logically way

• Lots of tables create a relational database. Data stored in a relational database are linked together e.g. Address books

Computerized data Paper based

Very fast to find a specific record Slow to file and find files

Can hold a large amount of data Limited by space

Can be used to analyze the data e.g. 'most popular selling item'

Very difficult to analyze the data

Can be kept secure by use of passwords The only security would be locking up the records

Easy to make a back-up in case of data loss Difficult to make a back up because every page or card would have to be re-written or photocopied,

which means extra storage space, is needed.

You can easily store files- just type it Have to write everything onto paper

You can print it easily You have to photocopy it, which will take up some time

Validation and Verification

To get data into a system is a two-part process:1. Data must be first ‘captured’ ( collected in a

way that then makes it easy to input)2. Data must be input into the computer

The system analyst will select a data capture method and data input method that best suit the requirements of the new system.