Collecting

Collecting is one of the two processes that connect an information systemwith the real world. It is the process responsible for gathering data from the real world environment of an information system. Collecting needs users either to collect and enter data into the system or to decide how data from an automatic collection device will be collected and entered into the system. In both cases, the collection processes depends on decisions like how the software directs how the hardware will collect data.

Collecting is the input process that involves encoding data for entry into a system, including:

• what data is required?

• how is it sourced?

• how is it encoded for entry into the system?

Data collection devices are often referred to as 'input devices' and include many of the hardware items or peripherals attached to a computer system. The keyboard, mouse, graphics tablet, data logger, scanners, microphone and cameras are data collection devices. Each device is designed to collect a particular type of data.

Original data that you collect yourself using your own collection devices will usually be better than second-hand data that someone else collected. However, you may only have access to second-hand data so you may have to use second-hand data on some occasions. Original data includes:


 * numbers or text from data recorders


 * unedited images, audioand videos

Second-hand data includes:


 * published summaries, tables, graphs, maps and web pages


 * enhanced images and temperature data


 * computer generated images
 * Anything else not made by yourself.