Data is the recorded representation of facts, observations or measurements in a form suitable for storage, processing and communication. It is the raw material from which information and knowledge are derived through interpretation and analysis, and may be structured, semi-structured or unstructured. Across computing and analytics, data is captured, modelled, stored, transformed and governed throughout a lifecycle that determines its usefulness and trustworthiness.
Overview
- Data exists in structured, semi-structured and unstructured forms.
- Through processing and analysis, data becomes information and, ultimately, knowledge.
- Its value depends on quality, lineage, accessibility and governance.
- Data flows through a lifecycle of capture, storage, transformation, use and retirement.
Key aspects
- Structure: schema-bound versus schema-on-read representations.
- Lineage and provenance tracking origin and transformations.
- Quality dimensions: accuracy, completeness, timeliness, consistency.
- Governance defining ownership, access and stewardship.
Applications
- Analytics and Business Intelligence reporting.
- Training and evaluating machine-learning models.
- Operational systems of record.
- Decision support across the organisation.