Raw data is unprocessed information that can be in a form that is difficult to interpret. It can be processed manually or by a machine, and may be in the form of binary code. In some cases, raw data is never seen in its final form, especially in data entry applications where privacy is important. Raw data is usually processed to make it more refined, but there are situations where it is displayed as is.
Raw data, also known as source data or atomic data, is information that has not been processed to be displayed in any presentable form. The raw form can look very unrecognizable and almost meaningless without elaboration, but it can also be in a form that some can interpret, depending on the situation. This data can be processed manually or by a machine.
In some cases, the raw data may be nothing more than a series of numbers. How these numbers are sequenced, however, and sometimes even how they are spaced out, can be very important information. A computer can interpret this information and provide a reading that may make sense to the reader.
Binary code is a good example of raw data. Taken by itself as a printout, a binary code does little for the computer user, at least for the vast majority of users. When processed by a computer, however, it provides more understandable information. In fact, the binary code is usually the source code for everything a computer user sees.
In some cases, this type of data may never be seen in its final form, especially by those working in data entry applications. In these situations, the user is only responsible for entering the information, and sometimes the person entering the data may not even know exactly what he or she is entering or why. This is especially useful when security or privacy is important because it helps ensure that no worker enters distorted or intentionally false information for the purpose of hurting or benefiting someone.
For example, in some medical applications, there may be very strict patient privacy regulations, however it may be necessary to enter the data into a database. To avoid as many people as possible identifying patients, each patient can be assigned a number. Their condition can also be numbered, as can their treatment options. Without knowledge of what those numbers mean, there’s no way to identify the patient or the condition. Such identifying information may only be available to a handful of people.
This example is actually quite unusual, as the information is rarely converted into a form considered raw. Instead, the raw data is usually processed to make it more refined. However, there are many different applications where raw data is displayed, and the rules for what to do with it depend on the situation.
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