Explainer 101: What Data Is

Once people hear of data, they zone out. It is probably the fear of mathematics that causes this, but data at the fundamental level is not as fearsome as it has been portrayed.

The Oxford Reference defines data as “a collection of facts or organised information, usually the results of observation, experience, or experiment, or a set of premises from which conclusions may be drawn. Data may consist of numbers, words, or images”. 

This definition allows us to appreciate data beyond the mathematical box, because indeed everything is data.

Imagine that you are standing outside your home or office by 2.00pm on a breezy Tuesday afternoon in March, you are terribly bored that you begin counting how many vehicles, women, or children pass through your neighbourhood in the next 15 minutes. Quite to your surprise, you cannot believe that so many women pass by. 

Although this activity is good enough to cure your hypothetical boredom,  it can do even more powerful things. For instance, it could tell you something about the kind of business that would thrive in your neighbourhood, or the kind of community service initiative your business should deliver to its host community, or something else that you might never have thought about before.

Interesting insights like this are often hidden in plain sight, and that is one of the several reasons why data is important. It uncovers obvious and less obvious information to us, and can help us make more informed decisions that are not just based on intuition, convenience or on the suggestions of others. 

Understanding data is a critical factor in every industry and role. Whether you are running a multinational corporation, an MSME, starting a small business from your room or just managing your personal finances, data is important. By looking at the data, you can make some findings that will set you apart in your field of play.