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In computing, it is very important to understand the difference between data and information. This section will look at the differences between the two and the importance thereof.
In computing, it is very important to understand the difference between data and information. This section will look at the differences between the two and the importance thereof.
What do you think of first when you hear the word data??????
What comes to mind is raw material, which refers to something that has not yet been processed. Data needs to be processed before it can become useful. Data can be in the form of text, words, numbers or symbols which, if not put into some type of context, is pretty useless to us.
Information, on the other hand, is data that is processed and formatted in such a way that we can actually use it. Both data and information are important; it is through accurate data collection that people, such as managers, have the necessary information to make informed decisions. Let’s take a look at the following examples of data and information:
As you can see from this example, the data appears to be a set of random words and numbers. Only after the data has been interpreted, organised and formatted, you can see that it is the contact details for David Mahlangu.
THE GIGO PRINCIPLE
THE GIGO PRINCIPLE
GIGO is an acronym for Garbage In, Garbage Out. Simply put, it means that bad input will result in bad output. It is very important to remember the GIGO principle, because bad data will give you bad information.
Using the example of the learners’ test results, if the teacher entered the incorrect marks into the computer (i.e. bad data), the information that she would get as a result, will also be incorrect.
It is quite possible for data to be interpreted incorrectly. This is often the result of incorrect or incomplete data, or a lack of context.
The Information Processing Cycle
The Information Processing Cycle
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