Examples of Data vs Information:

To further explore the differences between data and information, let’s look at a few examples:

Data Examples

• The number of visitors to a website in one month
• Inventory levels in a warehouse on a specific date
• Individual satisfaction scores on a customer service survey
• The price of a competitors’ product

Information Examples

• Understanding that changes to a website have led to an increase or decrease in monthly site visitors
• Identifying supply chain issues based on trends in warehouse inventory levels over time
• Finding areas for improvement with customer service based on a collection of survey responses
• Determining if a competitor is charging more or less for a similar product

As you can see, the data examples are quantitative facts that lack context on their own. But when businesses look at larger data sets and changes over time (as in the information examples), they start to uncover trends that can help them make informed decisions.