PRINCIPLES OF IT

ITBP 103

UNIT 2
INFORMATION
This unit discusses the transformation of data that simply exist with no particular
significance, into useful information that give meaning to data within particular contexts.
Information becomes knowledge when it is associated with an explanation of how or why
such transformation occurred. IT offers systems at each level of this transformation,
namely: database systems, information systems and knowledge-based systems, where the
information plays a pivotal role between raw data and expert knowledge.

Spring 2021 CIT, UAE University

2 Unit Objectives

 In this chapter you will:

 Distinguish data and information
 Understand the difference between structured and unstructured
data
 Capture (structured) data into databases
 Know about unstructured data: where does it come from and how
to manage it?
 Explain the transformation of data into information through
knowledge
 Distinguish the role of database systems, information systems
and knowledge-based systems

ITBP103 – IT Principles
3 Unit Contents

1. Data
 Definition
 Data Format
 Data Modeling
 Database
 Database Systems
2. Information
 Definition
 Data vs Information
 Transformation of data into information
 Why is information valuable?
 Information quality
3. Knowledge
 Definition
 Infer knowledge from information
 Knowledge Based System
 Game
ITBP103 – IT Principles
4 DATA
5 Data

Definition  Raw Facts (representing things or

events that have happened)
 Observations and measurements
 Made up of numbers, texts, images or
sound
 Examples:
 Yes, Yes, No, Yes, No, Yes, No, Yes
 42, 63, 96, 74, 56, 86
 111192, 11123
ITBP103 – IT Principles
6 Data Format

Real World Computer

Data Input device Data

Dear Mom: Keyboard 10110010…

Digital
10110010…
camera

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7 Data Format

 Input keys from keyboard are converted into ASCII

code
 ASCII code is sent to computer
 Received by the computer as a “stream” of data
ASCII code
Key(s) 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Character

a 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 a

Shift a 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 A

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8 Data Format
Exercise

 Use the ASCII code to

write your first name in
binary numbers beginning
with an uppercase letter
and continuing with
lowercase letters.

ITBP103 – IT Principles Information

9 Data Model

 A data model is an abstract model that organizes

elements of data and standardizes how they relate
to one another and to the properties of real-world
entities.
 The process of creating a data model for the data is
called data modeling

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10 Data Model
Why To Use Model?

 Models are used to examine or manage part of the real world

 The costs of using a model are often considerably lower than
the costs of using or experimenting with the real world itself
 Examples:
 Airplane simulator
 Nuclear power plant simulator
 Flood warning system
 Model of UAE economy
 Model of oil reservoir
 Map
Nuclear Simulator At Barakah Site

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11 Data Model

A Map Is a Data Model of Reality

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12 Data Model – Classification Model

 In a classification, we form a concept or an entity in a way

which allows us to decide whether or not a given
phenomena is a member or an instance of the extension of
the concept.
 Example:
CUSTOMER Entity

"Is a"

Ahmed Ali Salma …... Sami Asma Alia Instances

ITBP103 – IT Principles Information
13 Data Model – Classification Model

 Exercise 1: Identify entities and instances and draw

of the corresponding classification models. For each
identified mode, add further possible instances.
Germany, Al Ain, Humidity, Cairo, Wind, Abu Dhabi, Country, Fujairah,
Cloudy, City, Temperature, Weather Forecast, UAE

 Exercise 2: You want to organize your camera

photos under an informative classification model.
Discuss potential entities for which your photos
could be instance candidates.

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14 Data Model - Database

Reality
All Data Digitization Database
structures and
processes Captured Data

 A database is a model of structures in reality

 The use of a database reflects processes of reality

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15 Data Model - Database

Reality
All Data Data Modeling Database
structures and
processes Captured Data

 Data modeling provides a perception of structures

of reality and represent this perception in a
database (i.e. data model)

ITBP103 – IT Principles Information

16 Data Model - Database

Database System
Reality
All Data Process Modeling Database
structures and
processes Captured Data

 The use of the model reflects processes of reality

 Processes may be represented by programs to query the database
 A database system (also called DBMS or Database Management System) is a software
system which supports the definition and queries of a database
 A computer accepts inputs these inputs (as raw data), stores them into a database
using a database system, which processes them to produce information (used for
decision-making)
ITBP103 – IT Principles Information
17 Data Model

Database models - a collection of related data

Entity and Attributes

Classification
Employee
Model ID
Name Birth Date
Employee
EMPLOYEE

Title
Database System
Nancy Andrew Janet .. Margaret Laura Anne

ITBP103 – IT Principles Microsoft Access is a software used for

storing, retrieving and updating databases
18 INFORMATION
19 Information

Data + Meaning = Information

 Raw Facts (representing things or events that have happened)

 Observations and measurements
 Made up of numbers, texts, images or sound
 Example: individual exam marks are raw data, but if you
were to process those to say that the average mark for the
class was 53%, or that boys did better than girls, or that 76%
of the students in your school got a grade A or B, then that is
information!

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20 Information

Data Information

 $6.34
 $6.54
 $6.45 My Company Stocks

 $6.59
 $6.57
 $6.64
 $6.64
 $6.82
 $7.12
 $7.06

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21 Information

 Exercise: data or information?

 The history of temperature readings all over the world
for the past 100 years
 Students' examination grades
 The average mark for the class assignment
 352098527
 The number of visitors to a website by country

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22 Information

Data is given context and processed to produce information

Yes, Yes, No, Yes, No, Yes, No, Yes,

Raw Data
No, Yes, Yes

Responses to the market research

Context question – “Would you buy brand x
at price y?”
Processing

Information ???
Yes Percentage =
Total Responses = 11
 No Percentage = 100 = 36.36%
Yes Responses = 7 The percentage of Yes is higher than the
No Responses = 4 percentage of No
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23 Information
Example

Raw Data 42, 63, 96, 74, 56, 86

Context Amal’s scores in six IT

courses
Processing

Information ???

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24 Information

 Exercise: Turn the following data into information

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25 Information

Why is information valuable?

 It allows us to plan how to run our business more effectively –
e.g. shops can stock what customers want, when they want it,
and manufacturers can anticipate demand

 Marketing materials can be targeted at people and customers that

you know could be interested in your products and services

 This can lead to increased customer satisfaction and therefore

profit
ITBP103 – IT Principles Information
26 Information

What is information quality?

 Accurate
 Up-to-date
 Relevant
 Complete
 On-time
 Appropriately presented

ITBP103 – IT Principles Information

27 KNOWLEDGE
28 Knowledge

Knowledge = Information + Rules

 Knowledge is made up of information along with rules on how

to use it
 Knowledge involves human experience
 Example: You are more likely to succeed in your final exam if
you revise and do your coursework
 Knowledge is the understanding of rules needed to interpret
information “… the capability of understanding the
relationship between pieces of information and
what to actually do with the information”

ITBP103 – IT Principles Information

29 Knowledge
Example

Exercise 1: Consider the following data transformation, and derive the information and possible
knowledge

Raw Data 111192, 111234

Context The previous and current readings

of a customer’s gas meter
Processing

Information ???

Exercise 2: Consider the marketing survey presented earlier, how could a Marketing Manager
use this information ?

ITBP103 – IT Principles Information

30 Knowledge Based System

Knowledge Base Knowledge Based System

Rules to determine ‘grade’
Kno wle dge Bas e Databas e

1. If study then get good_grade Rule: IF-THEN

Rule: IF-THEN
Rule: IF-THEN
Rule: IF-THEN
Rule: IF-THEN FACT
2. If do not_study then get bad_grade
3. If sun_shines then go_out
4. If go_out then do not_study
5. If stay_home then study
6. If awful_weather then stay_home
Inference Engine

Knowledge base is a set of a specific-domain rules

User Interface

 Ask the following questions of the Knowledge-Based System

 Q1: If the weather is awful, do you get a good or bad grade?
 Q2: When do you get a good grade? User

Knowledge based system automates (human-like)

reasoning processes by linking rules with facts in a
ITBP103 – IT Principles database to infer new conclusions
Information
31 Knowledge Inference

Knowledge inference refers to acquiring new knowledge from

existing facts based on certain rules and constraints
Rule 1: IF Y is true
AND D is true
THEN Z is true
A X
Rule 2: IF X is true
AND B is true
B Y
AND E is true
Z
THEN Y is true E D
Rule 3: IF A is true
THEN X is true

ITBP103 – IT Principles Information

32 Knowledge Inference Engine

Database Database Database Database

A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E

X X L X L Y X L Y Z

Match Fire Match Fire Match Fire Match Fire

Knowledge Base Knowledge Base Knowledge Base Knowledge Base
Y&D Z Y&D Z Y&D Z Y&D Z
X&B&E Y X&B&E Y X&B&E Y X&B&E Y
A X A X A X A X
C L C L C L C L
L&M N L&M N L&M N L&M N

Cycle 1 Cycle 2 Cycle 3

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33 Knowledge Based System

What to do with Knowledge-Based Systems ?

Domain (thematic) knowledge

contained in an expert’s mind
is extracted in the form of a
knowledge base that consists of
rules.

A user interface and an

inference engine are used to
encode the knowledge base
rules, extract the required
Rules information from online
databases, and solve problems
for users.

ITBP103 – IT Principles Information

34 Knowledge
Example

Automatic medical diagnosis

Dialogue Module (User Interface)

System Do you have fever?

User Yes
System Do you have bad throat?
User No
System Do you have cough?
User Yes
System Are you suffering from running nose?
User Yes
System Are you suffering from headache?
User No
System You are probably suffering from a flu

ITBP103 – IT Principles Information

35 Game

 Principle: Collect data (clues), derive information (hints) from putting data into context and
derive knowledge (by combining data) to escape from the room (using the lift)

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36 Game

 Step 1: Notice all the data clues. Similarly to the real world, not all captured data are relevant to
the context (of the game) in order to derive useful information

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37 Game

 Step 2: Capture relevant clues and set them on the side together. This particular square panel is
hiding a crowbar, which could be used as a lever tool to open something…

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38 Game

 Step 3: After adding the crowbar to the database of relevant clues, switch on the TV to reveal
an additional clue…

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39 Game

 Step 4: After pressing the TV knob to switch it on, colored circles to reveal a pattern
information, that could be useful to the next phase of the game… Notice here, we inferred a
new information that was not apparent initially.

ITBP103 – IT Principles Information

40 Game

 Step 5: Use the crowbar to remove the square panel above the elevator button. Notice here, we
use existing clues (or data) to infer new clues (or data).

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41 Game

 Step 6: The panel shows after zooming into it a rectangle with grey circles. Change colors to
the same pattern as the ones on the TV: Black red yellow orange green (shown below)

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42 Game

 Step 7: Now the lift button will open the door to escape to the next level (of the game).

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43 Game

Wrap-up

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44 Game

 Try the game: On your iPhone/iPad, search for “Escape if you can” in AppStore, or on
Android mobile device, search for “Floors Escape” in Google Play Store. Both are free!

 Test your skills by solving the next level of the game…

ITBP103 – IT Principles Information

45 Concept Check

Across

3) Made up of information along with rules on how to

use it
4) Includes processes to query databases
6) An information quality characteristic
7) Structures real-world captured data into collections
9) A data model made up of entities to decide whether
or not a given phenomena is a member or an instance
of an entity

Down

1) A reasoning process resulting from linking rules

with information to infer new information
2) Data put in context
5) Raw facts
6) Code used to send input characters through
keyboard to computer
8) A data model to represent geographical data

ITBP103 – IT Principles