Computer
Computer
Topic
STRUCTURED AND UNSTRUCTURED DATA
STRUCTURED DATA
When data conforms to a pre-defined structure we say it is structured data. Meaning that
accurately formatted and well-organized data is referred to as structured data. This data is kept in
relational databases' (RDBMSs') format, which consists of tables with connected rows and
columns. Structured data is recorded and organized in this way to make it simple to locate and
handle. RDBMSs allow us to easily search for specific information and identify the relationships
between its components as long as the data fits inside their framework.
There is a special programming language used for handling relational databases called SQL,
which stands for Structured Query Language.
Data Nature: Structured data is often considered quantitative, consisting of precise numbers
or countable textual elements.
Analysis methods:
This type of data allows for straightforward analysis methods, including
Classification (grouping similar data based on shared features)
Regression (studying relationships between variables).
Data clustering (organizing data into groups based on attributes).
Example:
Machine language can easily comprehend and interpret well organized data. Relational databases
with structured data are frequently used for inventory control, airline reservation systems, and
sales transactions, among other things.
The most popular examples of structured data are Excel files from Microsoft Office and Google
Sheets. This information may include contact information, ZIP codes, addresses, credit card
numbers, employee names, and other text and numerical data.
UNSTRUCTURED DATA
Unstructured data does not conform to any pre-defined data model. Which means that
unstructured data is information that doesn't have a specific structure or format. It can't be neatly
organized into a data model or spreadsheet, which makes tasks like managing, analyzing, and
searching for unstructured data quite challenging.
One of the ways to manage unstructured data is to opt for non-relational databases, also known
as NoSQL.
Data nature: Unstructured data is typically labeled as qualitative data, consisting of subjective
information that can't be effectively processed using traditional methods and standard analytics
tools.
Analysis method: Analyzing this type of data demands more advanced techniques like
Data stacking (breaking large volumes of data into smaller units and grouping variables
with similar values)
Data mining (identifying patterns, anomalies, and interactions in large datasets to predict
potential outcomes)
Example:
Unstructured data takes many forms, including: