DD 1 2 SG

1
Database Design
1-2
Data vs. Information
Copyright © 2020, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
2
Objectives
• This lesson covers the following objectives:
−Distinguish between data and information, and provide
examples of each
−Describe and give an example of how data becomes
information
DDS1L2
Data vs. Information Copyright © 2020, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. 3
3
Purpose
• All kinds of information (school records, mobile
telephone records, ring tone downloads, grocery
purchases) are stored in databases
• We interact with databases every day, consciously or
unconsciously
• It is important to understand what is stored in a
database and what can be retrieved from it
DDS1L2
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Data Compared to Information
• If you work in the information-technology industry, it is
essential to understand how data is modeled and
stored in a database
• If you work in any other industry, you will most likely
have to work with data stored somewhere on a
computer and probably be required to use data in your
job to create reports and/or make decisions
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• The words "data" and "information" are often used as
if they are synonyms
−Nevertheless, they have different meanings
• Data:
−Raw or unprocessed material
• Information:
−knowledge, intelligence, a particular piece of data with a
special meaning or function
−Information is often the result of combining, comparing,
analyzing or performing calculations on data
DDS1L2
Data: Raw material that has not been processed or analyzed.

Information: Knowledge, intelligence, a particular piece of data with a special meaning or function
More examples to illustrate the difference between data and information:

Data: telephone directory (names, addresses, and phone numbers) Information: names and phone
numbers of florists in your neighborhood - a useful subset of the data
Data: details collected on a government population census survey Information: totals of people in the
country grouped by age, occupation, state, or district they live in; useful summary calculations from the
data
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• Whenever a student, teacher, administrator (or any
person using a computer) interacts with a website,
pieces of data are collected
• The website application may be unique to that school
or company, but what happens in the background?
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The graphical user interface (GUI) is the screen that you see when you look at any computer application.
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• Think about test scores, for example
• In one class, if every Data in… Information out…
student receives a 1997 $1,000,000 …Next year’s budget
numbered score, the 1998 $2,000,000 Regulatory

scores can be calculated “Article VI prohibits
use of School
Implementation
to determine a class property for…” …Where are they

going?
average
312 graduates By how much?
• The class averages can
98% of students …Class average
be calculated to pass the or school average
determine the school Math exam…

average Student test
scores were…
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• The Oracle database software will transform
recorded/stored data Information out…
Data in…
and statistics into useful 1997 $1,000,000 …Next year’s budget
pieces of information 1998 $2,000,000
Regulatory
• Data: Each student’s “Article VI prohibits
use of School
Implementation
test score is one piece property for…” …Where are they

going?
of data
312 graduates By how much?
• Information: The class’s
98% of students …Class average
average score or the pass the or school average
school’s average score Math exam…

Student test
scores were…
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What is a Database?
• A database is a centralized and structured set of data
stored on a computer system
• It provides facilities for retrieving, adding, modifying,
and deleting the data when required
• It also provides facilities for transforming retrieved
data into useful information
• A database is usually managed by a Database
Administrator (DBA)
DDS1L2
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Documents, Pictures, Video, and Sound
• Within most modern databases,
you can store and retrieve a Different Data/Sources
wide variety of data and Operational Media-rich
documents
• Inside the database, data is
stored in its “raw” form External
• When this raw data is queried

or retrieved, it is transformed
into more useful information Decision support Documents
DDS1L2
Think of the different kinds of data that a school system stores: student grades, student pictures, video
recordings of school events, etc.
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Question:
• What Does a Database Have to do with My Everyday
Life?
−Answer: More than you may
realize...
−A lot of websites that you
visit are driven by a database
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Question:
• If You Had One of the Jobs Listed Below, How Might
You Use a Database?
−Mechanic in a repair shop
−Taxi driver
−Landscaper
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Possible answers include:

Mechanic: looking up service records on a car; pricing a part carried by a supplier.
Taxi driver: use to determine distance to be driven so that an estimated length of time and cost of the
taxi fare can be provided to customer.
Landscape gardener: looking up information on plants or pesticides.
It is useful to understand the data requirements of the business you work in.
13
Question:
• Have You Ever Returned an Item to a Store Without a
Receipt?
−What information did you have to provide?
−Were you able to return the item?
DDS1L2
Currently in some department stores, you can return items without receipts if you paid by check or
charged with a credit card. The clerk simply types in your checking-account or credit-card number and
up pops a list of every item you purchased using that payment type. That’s an example of getting
information from a database!
Another example: Have you ever lost your copy of your class grades and had to ask the school for
another copy? What questions did you have to answer, and how did the school use your answers to
provide the copy?
14
Terminology
• Key terms used in this lesson included:
−Data
−Database
−Information
DDS1L2
15
Summary
• In this lesson, you should have learned how to:
−Distinguish between data and information, and provide
examples of each
−Describe and give an example of how data becomes
information
DDS1L2
16
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Copyright © 2020, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

Data: Raw material that has not been processed or analyzed.

More examples to illustrate the difference between data and information:

numbered score, the 1998 $2,000,000 Regulatory

to determine a class property for…” …Where are they

determine the school Math exam…

test score is one piece property for…” …Where are they

school’s average score Math exam…

• When this raw data is queried

Possible answers include:

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