/ˈdeɪ.tə/
noun — "the digital breadcrumbs your systems leave behind."
Data is the raw information collected, stored, and processed in information technology systems. It can be numbers, text, images, logs, or signals that represent facts, events, or measurements. Data forms the foundation for data analysis, business intelligence, machine learning, and fraud detection.
Technically, Data involves:
- Structured data — organized in databases, spreadsheets, or defined schemas.
- Unstructured data — free-form content like emails, logs, or multimedia.
- Metadata — descriptive information about data for context and management.
- Data quality and integrity — ensuring accuracy, consistency, and reliability for processing and decision-making.
Examples of Data in IT include:
- Transaction records in a financial system.
- Sensor readings from IoT devices.
- User activity logs from web applications.
Conceptually, Data is the raw material of the digital world—it has no meaning by itself until analyzed, interpreted, and acted upon. High-quality, well-managed data enables insights, automation, and strategic decision-making.
In practice, Data is collected, stored, and processed using databases, data warehouses, ETL pipelines, and analytical tools to support data analysis, business intelligence, and machine learning.
See Data Analysis, Business Intelligence, Fraud Detection, Machine Learning, Database.