Analysing is the interpretation of data. It involves examining the data and giving meaning to it. When data has been ordered and given meaning by people it is called information.
Hardware
Analysis depends on the storage and processing capabilities of the information system
- Large amounts of storage are needed to receive and retain data over a period of time. If the primary storage (memory) and secondary storage (storage) resource are abundant, then first processing is possible
- Fast processing is needed to complete the many calculations often required for analysis. This performed by the Central Processing Unit. Applications requiring complex analysis use parallel processing. This is the simultaneous processing of instructions using multiple processors or CPU's. Parallel processing is much faster than using one CPU. This type of processing is examined later in the computer.
software
- Searching is the process of locating data and information. Most information have a "find" and "search" command
- Sorting is the process of arranging data in a particular order. Sorts are either performed in ascending order (A-Z or 0-9) or descending order (Z-A or 9-0)
- Modelling and simulations are used to make predictions and examine discussions concerning real situations. A model is a representation of some aspect of the real world and a simulation is the use of a model
- "What- if" predictions are a powerful feature of spreadsheet software. The software allows the user to make changes to one item of data and observing the effects on other items
- Charts are a graphical representation of numerical data. The convert data in rows and columns into a picture that can be read at a glance. Charts make data easier to understand