by D. Victor

Created on: November 11, 2009   Last Updated: February 03, 2011

Data and information are related terms that are sometimes used interchangeably. However, information is the product of data, and this distinction forms an integral premise for different spheres – from accounting to information systems. Both concepts have various definitions associated with them, but these can be distilled to produce a cogent definition.

• Data refers to streams of raw facts or figures that represent events occurring in the real world.

• Information is data that are organized, manipulated, converted, arranged, or presented in a form that persons can understand and use.

The basic distinction between data and information is that data is information before it has been transformed into a cogent, meaningful form for its intended users.

• Three-stage data processing formation

What stands between the two concepts is a process – transformation. Usually, data represents the input stage. Transformation involves a number of processes through which data is made meaningful to users. The final stage is the output stage. This in represented as follows:

Data Transformation Information

For purposes of data storage and transfer, this three-stage process is reversed.

Information Transformation Data

This process is common in computing terms, where data is defined as “symbols or signals that are input, stored, and processed by a computer, for output as usable information.” In this context, data is also defined as “information that was translated into a form that is easier to move or process.”

• Presentation and context

In addition to transformation, the context and presentation is what separates data from information. For example, suppose you conduct a survey and yield 50 completed questionnaires. Each questionnaire contains data. Although the data might appear organized on the form, it has yet to be given a context and presented properly for its intended purpose. When the data is compiled, presented in a recommended format that is meaningful and useful to intended users, it becomes information.

If one considers data as symbols and symbols or bits and bytes, it is apparent that data in itself is of little utility to humans. However, through conversion, organization, manipulation, and other transformative processes, data can produce information that has high utility. The quality of the information produced depends on several outcomes of the transformation process. This determines whether the information is accurate, understandable and properly communicated.

In summary, data refers to raw facts/figures, or symbols/signals that have yet to be processed into information. The distinction between the two concepts is important in several fields – particularly in Information Technology. Ultimately, defining what information is to various users can save time, money, and improves efficiency in information handling and related uses.

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