Unstructured data

Unstructured data refers to masses of (usually) computerized information which do not have a data structure which is easily readable by a machine. Examples of unstructured data may include audio, video and unstructured text such as the body of an email or word processor document. Data mining techniques are used to find patterns in, or otherwise interpret, this information.

Data with some form of structure may be referred to as unstructured data if the structure is not helpful for the desired processing task. For example, an HTML webpage is highly structured, but this structure is often oriented towards formatting, rather than performing more complex tasks with the content of the page.

: Merrill Lynch estimates that more than 85 percent of all business information exists as unstructured data - commonly appearing in E-mails, memos, notes from call centers and support operations, news, user groups, chats, reports, letters, surveys, white papers, marketing, research, presentations and Web pages.

=Notes=

# [http://www.dmreview.com/article_sub.cfmarticleId=6287 The problem with unstructured data], DMReview, February 2003.

=See also=

*Data mining *Data structure

=External links=

*[http://blogs.ittoolbox.com/database/soup/archives/005588.asp Database soup: Unstructured data as an oxymoron]