Data refers to raw, unprocessed facts, figures, and statistics collected from various sources such as sensors, surveys, databases, or user interactions. It can be structured (like numbers in spreadsheets) or unstructured (such as text, images, or videos). On its own, data has limited value because it doesn’t directly answer business questions or guide decisions.

Insights, on the other hand, are the meaningful interpretations derived from data. They provide understanding, reveal trends, highlight patterns, or explain behaviors. For instance, knowing that a website had 10,000 visitors last month is data. But realizing that traffic spikes after email campaigns prompting a change in marketing strategy is an insight.

The key difference is that data tells you what is happening, while insights tell you why it’s happening and what actions to take. Converting data into insights requires analytical thinking, domain knowledge, and tools like Python, SQL, Excel, or visualization platforms like Power BI and Tableau.

If you want to bridge the gap between handling raw data and extracting actionable insights, consider exploring data analytics certification courses in Noida.