The main difference between data and information is that data is raw and unprocessed while information is processed, organized, and structured.
Data and information are two words we use together. Both are important for reasoning, calculations, and decision-making. However, there is a distinct difference between data and information. It’s important to know that information always relies on data.
Key Areas Covered
1. What is Data
– Definition, Features
2. What is Information
– Definition, Features
3. Difference Between Data and Information
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
Data, Information
What is Data
Data is a collection of individual statistics, facts, or items of information. Technically, the singular form of data is datum, but we rarely use it in everyday language. Data is in a raw form and has to be organized and interpreted to extract useful information. In other words, data does not carry any meaning or purpose on its own. However, we use data for everything – for research studies, finance, business management, governance, and all forms of human activities. Furthermore, data can come in any form: text, graphs, numbers, images, etc. Data might include a list of dates, temperatures, scores of a test, individual prices of products, or a list of names. But on its own, this data might not have any meaning.
We can describe data as the smallest unit of factual information we can use for reasoning, calculation, or discussion. It can range from concrete measurements to abstract statistics. Furthermore, we can categorize data into two main categories as quantitative data and qualitative data. Quantitative data take numerical forms and include prices, weights, temperatures, etc., while qualitative data take a descriptive but non-numerical form. Some examples of qualitative data include names, addresses, physical characteristics of people, etc. We can also categorize data as primary data and secondary data, especially when it comes to research. The former is collected by a researcher for the first time, whereas the latter is already existing data produced by researchers.
What is Information
Information is data that is processed, organized, and structured. Information provides a context for data and helps immensely in the decision-making processes. While data is individual numbers or figures, information is the knowledge we can gather from it. For example, we can describe the scores of each individual student’s test paper as data. But if we take all the students’ scores, we can derive information about the average score for that subject and see who has weak and strong performances in that subject.
Information is crucial in decision-making. However, we also have to consider the quality of information we use. Given below are some characteristics of good-quality information.
Relevance – Information should be relevant to the decision being made.
Timeliness – Information should reach the recipient in time
Accuracy – Information should be free of errors, and mistakes, and clear.
Impartiality – Information should not have any bias.
Completeness – Information should be complete as incomplete information can result in wrong decisions.
Difference Between Data and Information
Definition
Data is a collection of individual statistics, facts, or items of information, while information is data that is processed, organized, and structured.
Nature
Data is in raw form and unprocessed and unstructured whereas information is processed and structured.
Meaning
While data, on its own, might be meaningless, information is always meaningful.
Interdependency
Information relies on data, but data does not rely on information.
Form
Data comes in forms like numbers, figures, and statistics, while information usually comes as words, thoughts, and ideas.
Understanding
It may be difficult to understand data, but it’s relatively easy to understand information.
Examples
Marks of students in a class are an example of data, while the average marks gained by students of the class are information derived from data.
Conclusion
Both data and information are important for decision-making. Data is raw facts or statistics, and on its own, it might be meaningless. But information is the data that is processed and structured. Information is easy to understand and provides a context for data. This is the main difference between data and information. More importantly, information is always dependent on data.
Reference:
1. “Information.” Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation.
2. “Data.” Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Data types – en” By João Batista Neto – Data types – pt br.svg (CC BY 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Analysis, analytics, business, chart, charts, computer, concept, data, desk, device, diagram, digital, document, equipment, finance, financial, graph, graphs, information, investment, job, management, marketing, modern, office, profit, report” (CC0) via Pxhere
Leave a Reply