1.

0 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BASICS | ITE1073

TOPIC 1.0 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BASICS

Sub-Topic 1.1 Data and Information

Student should be able to :
Learning Outcome • Define data, information and knowledge
• Describe the differences between data, information and knowledge

INTRODUCTION
Understanding the distinction between data and information is crucial in today’s digital landscape.
Data comprises raw, unprocessed facts that need context to become useful, while information is
data that has been processed, organized, and interpreted to add meaning and value.

DATA, INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE

• There have been many definitions and theories about data, information, and knowledge. This
three (3) terms are often used interchangeably, although they are distinct in nature. We
define and illustrate the three terms from the perspective of information systems.

• Data are the raw facts and may be devoid of context or

intent.
• For example, a sales order of computers is a piece of data.
• Data can be quantitative or qualitative. Quantitative data is
Data numeric, the result of a measurement, count, or some other
mathematical calculation. Qualitative data is descriptive. “Ruby
Red,” the colour of a 2013 Ford Focus, is an example of
qualitative data.
• A number can be qualitative too: if I tell you my favourite
 1.0 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BASICS | ITE1073

number is 5, that is qualitative data because it is descriptive,

not the result of a measurement or mathematical calculation.

• Information is processed data that possess context,

relevance, and purpose.
• For example, monthly sales calculated from the collected daily
Information sales data for the past year are information.
• Information typically involves the manipulation of raw data to
obtain an indication of magnitude, trends, in patterns in the
data for a purpose.
• Knowledge in a certain area is human beliefs or
perceptions about relationships among facts or concepts
relevant to that area.
Knowledge
• For example, the conceived relationship between the quality of
goods and the sales is knowledge.
• Knowledge can be viewed as information that facilitates action.

• Once we have put our data into context, aggregated and analysed it, we can use it to make
decisions for our organization. We can say that this consumption of information produces
knowledge. This knowledge can be used to make decisions, set policies, and even spark
innovation.
• The final step up the information ladder is the step from knowledge (knowing a lot about a
topic) to wisdom. We can say that someone has wisdom when they can combine their
knowledge and experience to produce a deeper understanding of a topic. It often takes many
years to develop wisdom on a particular topic and requires patience.

EXAMPLES OF DATA VS. INFORMATION

Data, represented as raw figures and observations, serves as the foundation. When processed and
analyzed, this data becomes information—delivering actionable insights and strategic direction for
businesses.
 1.0 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BASICS | ITE1073

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

• Over the entire month, the total number of visitors was 45,000, with an average daily visitor
count of 1500.
• On July 1st, 2024, The total inventory count for the warehouse was 2900 units. Item B had
the highest stock level, while Item E had the lowest.
• In the customer service survey conducted in July 2024, individual satisfaction scores were
recorded from 50 respondents. The average satisfaction score was 6.8, with the most
common score being 8.
• The prices of a competitor's product in the market were observed across three major
retailers. The average price of the competitor's product line is RM71.67.

Knowledge 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 highlighted, while data examples present quantitative facts devoid of context,
transforming these data points into information provides businesses with valuable insights
that can guide effective decision-making.
1.0 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BASICS | ITE1073
 1.0 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BASICS | ITE1073

TOPIC 1.0 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BASICS

Sub-Topic 1.2 Information Processing Cycle

Student should be able to :
• Define the Information Processing Cycle
Learning Outcome
• Classify 4 phases of Information processing including Input, Output ,
Process and Storage

INTRODUCTION
Information processing is the process of changing or converting information into meaningful form.
Information is a processed, organized or classified data which is useful for the receiver. Information
is the processed data which may be used “as is” or may be put to use along with more data or
information. The receiver of information takes actions and decisions based on the information
received. Collected data must be processed to get meaning out of it, and this meaning is obtained in
the form of information. Further information is considered useful & meaningful only if has these
characteristics :

• Timely − Information should be available when required, a delay in obtaining information

renders it useless.
• Accuracy − Accuracy of information has a significant impact on the decision-making.
Possibilities of even slightest errors should be minimized
• Completeness − Information should be complete. Incomplete information causes incorrect
and unintended results.
• Comprehensive – Information which is incomprehensible is useless for the receiver. This
becomes a case of information failure as the sender sent the information, but it was of no use
for the receiver, thus is not considered as “information.”

INFORMATION PROCESSING CYCLE

Information processing cycle is a sequence of events consisting of input, processing, storage &
output. To understand more about what is information processing cycle it is a good idea to study
about data processing cycle also. These events are similar as in case of data processing cycle. For a
computer to perform useful work, the computer has to receive instructions and data from the
outside world.
 1.0 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BASICS | ITE1073

• The computer receives data and instructions during the INPUT stage of the information
processing cycle. Useful information results when appropriate instructions are applied to
data.
• Applying instructions to data takes place during the PROCESSING stage of the information
processing cycle. To avoid having to re-enter data and instructions or reprocess information,
computers can save information.
• Saving information on a computer occurs during the STORAGE stage of the information
processing cycle. Saving information on a computer occurs during the Storage phase of the
information processing cycle.
• This is followed by the result in the OUTPUT stage. Computer Processing Cycle is a similar
process with similar steps by which data is fed to a computer.

INPUT

OUTPUT PROCESSING

STORAGE

Table : Information Processing Cycle

Four Phases Of The Of The Cycle To Process Information

1. Input: Computer receives data and instructions
2. Process: Computer applies instructions to data to produce information (organized Data)
3. Storage: Saving the information for a subsequent use or use in future
4. Output: Computer sends information to people in a usable format.
 1.0 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BASICS | ITE1073

1. Input – Entering data into the computer

• Feeding the collected raw data in the cycle for processing. This is the raw data
which is supplied for processing & obtaining information.
• Input can be done by utilizing various devices such as keyboards, mice, flatbed
scanners, barcode readers, joysticks, digital data tablets (for graphics drawing),
electronic cash registers, etc
2. Processing – Performing operations on the data
• Once the input is provided the raw data is processed by a suitable or selected
processing method. This is the most crucial step as it allows for the processed
data in the form of output which will be used further.
• Processing is usually done by CPU (Central Processing Unit) in a computer. CPU
is the crucial component for getting the operations done.
3. Storage – Saving data in a soft/physical form
• This is the outcome, and the raw data provided in the first stage is now
“processed,” and the data is useful and provides information and no longer
called data.
• Storage can be done on external hard disk, inbuilt hard disk, pen drives, micro
SD cards, compact disks or even in registers.
4. Output – Results obtained, i.e., information
• This is the outcome, and the raw data provided in the first stage is now
“processed,” and the data is useful and provides information and no longer
called data. This might be further used for data visualisation.
• This can be used as it is or used for further processing along with more data.
 1.0 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BASICS | ITE1073

TOPIC 1.0 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BASICS

Sub-Topic 1.3 Characteristics Of Valuable Information

Student should be able to :
Learning Outcome
• Explain characteristics of valuable information

INTRODUCTION
Data quality is crucial – it assesses whether information can serve its purpose in a particular context
(such as data analysis, for example). So, how do you determine the quality of a given set of
information? There are data quality characteristics of which you should be aware.

CHARACTERISTICS OF VALUABLE INFORMATION

There are five traits that you’ll find within data quality: accuracy, completeness, reliability,
relevance, and timeliness – read on to learn more.

Characteristic How it’s measured

Accuracy Is the information correct in every detail?

Completeness How comprehensive is the information?

Reliability Does the information contradict other trusted

resources?

Relevance Do you really need this information?

Timeliness How up- to-date is information? Can it be used for

real-time reporting?
 1.0 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BASICS | ITE1073

Accuracy

• This data quality characteristic means that information is correct.

• To determine whether data is accurate or not, ask yourself if the information reflects a real-
world situation.
• For example, in the realm of financial services, does a customer really have $1 million in his
bank account?
• Accuracy is a crucial data quality characteristic because inaccurate information can cause
significant problems with severe consequences.
• We’ll use the example above – if there’s an error in a customer’s bank account, it could be
because someone accessed it without his knowledge.

Completeness

• “Completeness” refers to how comprehensive the information is.

• When looking at data completeness, think about whether all of the data you need is
available; you might need a customer’s first and last name, but the middle initial may be
optional.
• If information is incomplete, it might be unusable.
• Let’s say you’re sending a mailing out, you need a customer’s last name to ensure the mail
goes to the right address – without it, the data is incomplete.

Reliability

• Reliability means that a piece of information doesn’t contradict another piece of information
in a different source or system.
• We’ll use an example from the healthcare field; if a patient’s birthday is January 1, 1970 in
one system, yet it’s June 13, 1973 in another, the information is unreliable.
• Reliability is a vital data quality characteristic.
• When pieces of information contradict themselves, you can’t trust the data. You could make
a mistake that could cost your firm money and reputational damage.
 1.0 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BASICS | ITE1073

Relevance

• Relevance comes into play because there has to be a good reason as to why you’re
collecting this information in the first place.
• You must consider whether you really need this information, or whether you’re collecting
it just for the sake of it.
• If you’re gathering irrelevant information, you’re wasting time as well as money. Your
analyses won’t be as valuable.

Timeliness

• Timeliness, as the name implies, refers to how up to date information is. If it was gathered
in the past hour, then it’s timely – unless new information has come in that renders
previous information useless.
• The timeliness of information is an important data quality characteristic, because
information that isn’t timely can lead to people making the wrong decisions. In turn, that
costs organizations time, money, and reputational damage.
• In today’s business environment, data quality characteristics ensure that you get the most
out of your information.
• When your information doesn’t meet these standards, it isn’t valuable.
 1.0 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BASICS | ITE1073

TOPIC 1.0 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BASICS

Sub-Topic 1.4 Ethics In Information Technology

Student should be able to :
• Define ethics and technology ethics
Learning Outcome
• Describe information accuracy, intellectual property rights,
copyrights and codes of conducts

INTRODUCTION
Technology is merely a tool like a device or gadget. With this thought process of technology just
being a device or gadget, it is not possible for technology to possess a moral or ethical quality. Going
by this thought process the tool maker or end user would be the one who decides the morality or
ethicality behind a device or gadget.

DEFINITION ETHICS AND TECHNOLOGY ETHICS

ETHICS • Ethics refers to well-founded standards of right and wrong that

prescribe what humans ought to do, usually in terms of rights,
obligations, benefits to society, fairness, or specific virtues.
• For example, refers to those standards that impose the reasonable
obligations to refrain from rape, stealing, murder, assault, slander,
and fraud.
• Ethical standards also include those that enjoin virtues of honesty,
compassion, and loyalty.

TECHNOLOGY • Technology ethics is the application of ethical thinking to the

ETHICS practical concerns of technology.
• The reason technology ethics is growing in prominence is that new
technologies give us more power to act, which means that we have
to make choices we didn't have to make before.
• While in the past our actions were involuntarily constrained by our
weakness, now, with so much technological power, we have to learn
how to be voluntarily constrained by our judgment: our ethics.
• For example, in the past few decades many new ethical questions
have appeared because of innovations in medical, communications,
and weapons technologies.
• Similarly, with communications technologies like social media we
are still figuring out how to behave when we have access to so many
people and so much information; and the recent problems with fake
news reflect how quickly things can go wrong on social media if bad
actors have access to the public.
• Likewise with nuclear weapons, we never used to need to ask the
question of how we should avoid a civilization-destroying nuclear
war because it simply wasn’t possible, but once those weapons were
invented, then we did need to ask that question, and answer it,
because we were – and still are – at risk for global disaster.
 1.0 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BASICS | ITE1073

DEFINITION INFORMATION ACCURACY, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS, COPYRIGHTS

AND CODES OF CONDUCTS.

INFORMATION • Information accuracy represents the quality of data or

ACCURACY measurements being truthful, correct, and precise, even
down to minute details.
• It is also necessary that the information should not be
generated from the malicious data.
• For information accuracy, the data must be from reputable
sources.
• In the era of information explosion, we need to be more
careful while using or disseminating information.
• The use of unreliable sources results in inaccurate
information.
• Especially, the accuracy of information shared on social
media is often questionable.

INTELLECTUAL • When any person develops software, writes a book or

PROPERTY RIGHTS research paper or invents any method or the machine, it
becomes the intellectual property of that person.
• Intellectual property is intangible creations of the human
intellect. Just like other property the intellectual property
can be stolen.
• To prevent theft or illegal use or spread of intellectual
property, Intellectual Property Right is exercised.
• Through these rights, intellectual property is protected with
the help of copyrights, patents, and trademarks.
• They allow creators or owners of patents, trademarks or
copyrighted works to benefit from their work or
investment.
• Under these rights, no other person or organization can
copy or reproduce any other’s intellectual property.
Intellectual property rights are acclaimed worldwide.

COPYRIGHTS • Copyright is a legal instrument that provides legal rights to

the creator of artwork, literature, or a work that conveys
information or ideas.
• In simple words, copyright is the right of copying.
• Copyright gives control over how the work is used.
• Copyright intends to advance the progress of knowledge by
giving an author of a work an economic incentive to create
new works.
• The © sign is also often displayed on copyrighted objects.

CODES OF CONDUCTS • A code of conduct is a set of values, rules, standards, and

principles outlining what employers expect from staff
within an organization.
• Often codes of conduct take big picture ideas tied to the
business’s overall mission and core values and relate them
to the behaviour and practices they desire from employees
on a day-to-day basis.
 1.0 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BASICS | ITE1073

• A code of conduct outlines leaders’ expectations and key

ethical principles for success, reflecting the current or
desired organizational culture.
• A code of conduct is closely related to a code of ethics, to the
extent where the phrases are often interchangeable.
• A code of conduct in practice can range from big picture
ideals to specific rules. For example, a code of conduct can
outline how employees should behave to reflect the
organization’s wider mission, but it can also define fixed
regulations related to internal practices such as dress code
or break policy.
• A code of conduct could emphasize ethical attitudes and
staff communication policies to prevent conflict or
harassment while also outlining the consequences for poor
behaving that violates the code.