Data is information that is collected and presented in an easily digestible way. The information can take many forms; photographs, statistics, locations, stories, financial, history - you name it really!
What does data look like? Data can be presented in many ways, such as graphs and charts, to more creative and artistic ways. See the video below for a very creative and easy to understand example of visually presenting data.
Where does data come from? It can come from any source! What are you interested in? Chances are there will be data somewhere for that (though it might need to be collated!). Do you want to know how your council spends money? Do you want to know how many people used your local library in February 2008? Perhaps you are interested in health statistics, or how many photographs there are of your town taken in 1950? Whatever your interests there is most likely a data set to bring it to life.
Who can benefit from data? Anyone. From the government, schools, students, health bodies, corporations, small businesses, bloggers, and individuals who would like the data for personal or research reasons.
Why does data matter to communities? Because a thriving democracy hinges on full citizen engagement, which stems from data-supported knowledge. Data can reveal hidden truths, identify critical patterns and drive powerful insights and decisions that shape the quality of life we want in our communities. In this way, data is a powerful tool for community change
This blog sums it up nicely: http://abitmoreofkaren.blogspot.com/2011/02/understanding-data-what-is-d...