Structured, unstructured or both?
A school register fits in rows. A folder of voice notes does not.
- A table with fixed columns. This is structured.
- Pictures, sound and free text. This is unstructured.
- A form with a table and free writing. This is hybrid.
- One shop can hold all three kinds.
Structured data fits rows and columns with fixed fields. Fixed fields mean every row has the same columns. It is easy to search because each fact has a fixed place.
Unstructured data has no fixed layout. Photos, videos, voice notes and free writing are examples. Free writing is text in any form, like a comment.
A hybrid dataset holds both. A feedback form has a star rating, which is structured. It also has a typed comment, which is not.
Another word, semi-structured, means data with tidy tags but loose content. A tag is a fixed heading, like Subject in an email. An email is semi-structured. It is not the same as hybrid.
Structured data fits rows and columns. Unstructured data does not. A dataset with both is hybrid.
Watch out!
Words can be structured. A table column of one-word answers is structured.
Read each dataset. Put it in its bin.
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