Zusammenfassung der Ressource
Topic 2 - data and information
- types of data
- Currency (£, $)
- sound
- Image
- date/time
- Integers
- Whole numbers
- Real
- includes decimals, provides
more accuracy than integers
- String
- Boolean
- Selecting 1 of 2 options e.g. yes/no,
male/female
- what is data?
- Details that are meaningless because they lack relevance I.e. numbers,
words, images, sounds
- Encoding - transferring data into a format that can be read and
understood by a computer. Once encoded it can be processed and
manipulated by various software
- Coding - Abbrieviating data e.g. Y/N. Validation within a system can be set up to
ensure that the data entered is sensible, possible and realistic.
- Advantages
- Saves space, takes less time to type in,
more data can appear at once, easier to
check mistakes and hides sensitive data
- Disadvantages
- Data loses meaning, quantifies the
qualitative, conversion errors and
precision reduced
- What is the difference between data and information?
- Data is raw values put into, stored and processed by a system whereas
information is the result of the 'processed data, with added meaning
- Quality of information
- Accurate
- Easy to understand
- Relevant
- Up-to-date
- timeliness of information
- How can data
arise?
- Experiments
- Transactions (EPOS)
- Automatic measurement of environmental
quantities
- Surveys (On-line)
- Exam results (OMR)
- Interviews (manual collection)
- Management
information system
- Data
- Direct data - collected for specific purpose e.g.
library barcode's to track customers taking books out
- Indirect data - used to create information that isn't related to the original purpose of
the data collection e.g. demographics from what customers are buying more often
- Static data - produced and distributed in a state that is not likely to change e.g. read only
media - CD- roms. It can quickly become out of date if it deals with current affairs- best
used for presenting fats e.g. D.O.B
- Dynamic data - subject to change e.g. news. Businesses rely on it as it endorses
a component as being up-to-date. Internet has made access to dynamic data
easier
- How does good quality
information add value to an
organisation?
- it helps with decision making e.g. reports, graphs
- Monitor and control
- Target resources - demographics
- Competitive advantage
- What costs are incurred to get good
quality information?
- Manpower, data entry, hardware and software, data
maintenance