The Basics #1: What Is Data, Really?
Data is a term that gets thrown around a lot. In this first post of our series “The Basics,” aimed at demystifying data for small and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs) and non‑profit organizations (such as NGOs), we ask: what does data actually mean?
Simply put, data is information, facts and figures that we collect and use to make decisions.
It’s not some mysterious tech jargon; it can be as basic as the number of customers who walked into your store today or the feedback a donor gave about your last charity event.
At Moonland, our mission is to democratize IT and simplify data for everyone. A big part of that is breaking down concepts like data into everyday terms that anyone can understand.
Data in Everyday Life
If you think you don’t deal with “data,” think again. Data is everywhere in your daily operations. Have a list of client emails in a spreadsheet?
That’s data.
Counted how many products you sold this week?
That’s data too.
Even a note like “Mondays are slow, Fridays are busy” is a piece of information, and yes, it counts as data. In a nutshell, any recorded fact or observation is data.
Examples of everyday business data include:
- A tally of daily sales in your shop.
- Customer names and phone numbers written on a notepad.
- Inventory stock levels in your warehouse.
- Website traffic counts from your Google Analytics.
As you can see, data isn’t only about huge databases or complicated reports. It can be something as simple as a sticky note with a number on it.
The key point is that data represents real-world information that matters to your organization.
More Than Just Numbers
When people hear “data,” they often picture spreadsheets full of numbers. While numbers (like sales figures or expenses) are a big part of data, it comes in other forms too.
Data can be words, for example, customer comments on social media are data.
It can be choices, like which item a client selects on an order form (that choice is a data point).
It can even be images or documents.
Essentially, any piece of information that you can capture and refer to later counts as data.
For instance, if you run a small bakery, the photos you snap of your display each morning are visual data about how you present your products.
If you’re an NGO, the sign-up forms volunteers fill out at events are data collection tools, capturing names, interests, and availability.
All of these bits of information, in whatever form, are the “data” we’re talking about.
Turning Data into Insight
By itself, a single data point, like one customer’s feedback, might not tell you much. But when you start collecting data over time, patterns and stories begin to emerge.
Imagine you note the foot traffic in your store every day for a month.
One day of data is just a number, but a month of data might reveal that Fridays have double the traffic of Mondays.
That’s an insight: you could use it to plan staffing or special promotions on the busy days.
This is the true purpose of data: to help answer questions and guide decisions. Raw data is just the starting point. Once you organize and review it, data becomes information and then insight.
Think of it like puzzle pieces, one piece by itself isn’t the whole picture, but many pieces together start to reveal something useful.
Real-world example: A regional NGO we supported ran community workshops throughout the year but felt overwhelmed trying to plan them. They assumed attendance was random — sometimes 30 people showed up, other times barely 5, and it felt unpredictable. We helped them start logging basic data: dates, locations, time of day, and number of attendees. Within two months, a pattern emerged: weekday evening sessions in urban areas consistently drew the largest crowds, while rural afternoon sessions struggled. With that insight, they reshaped their schedule to prioritize what worked, resulting in more engaged participants and better use of their team’s time and energy.
In the next part of “The Basics” series, we’ll explore why you should care about data at all. Now that we know what data is, we can dive into how it can actually help your business or organization thrive.
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About the Author
Pello Múgica Gonzalez is the cofounder of Moonland, a digital consultancy based in Ghent and Brussels, focused on empowering impact organizations through data, automation, and AI. With hands-on field experience at the Red Cross and a background in data science, Pello understands the unique challenges of the impact sector, from complex stakeholder environments to demanding reporting cycles.
He leads digital transformation initiatives that help NGOs and nonprofits streamline operations, unlock insights, and build long-term resilience through accessible, human-centered technology. In recognition of his work, Pello was named a Digital for Development laureate, honoring his innovative contributions to the humanitarian and development field
Passionate about making technology work for social good, Pello continues to support impact-focused teams in turning fragmented data into actionable strategy, helping them stay agile, transparent, and mission-aligned in a rapidly changing world.
