Data Types
• Data is information about something indicating a
certain characteristic.
• Data can be classified into classified as below
Data
Quantitative Qualitative
Continuous Discrete Binary Ordinal
Interval Ratio Nominal
• Generally Ratio, Ordinal, Nominal, Ordinal data are
treated as Discrete data for analysis
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Quantitative data – Continuous Data
• Data which are measured using a Measuring instrument.
• Measurable (measurement scale or instrument)
• Endlessly Subdivided (in theory)
• Accuracy depends on the accuracy of the gauge
• Ratios of Continuous/Continuous or Continuous/Discrete
or Discrete/Continuous are also treated as Continuous
data
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Quantitative data – Discrete Data
• Only discrete or finite number of values that can
be only counted and can not be measured
• Countable (into Whole numbers)
• Can be categorized into a classification
• Cannot be broken down into smaller units
• Ratios of Discrete/Discrete is also Discrete
data
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Qualitative data – Binary Data
• Data with only two possible outcome
• Data can be represented as Numerical or Textural
data as well
• Example:
• Test Result – Pass/ Fail
• Plug Gauge result: Go/No-Go
• Bride/Groom: Passed/Rejected
Qualitative data – Nominal Data
• Data uses only the name variable instead of numerical
value.
• The data does not have any order
• Example:
• Directions – North, East, West & South
• Colors- Green, Red, Yellow, etc.
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Qualitative data – Ordinal Data
• Qualitative Data with a set/ Natural order.
• Data does not have a standard
• Data can be measured in both Numerical & also
Names
• Example
• Grades – F, E, D, C, B, A
• Month- Jan, Feb,…, Dec
• Brightness: Light, Med & Dark
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Quantitative data – Interval Data
• Includes all characteristics of ordinal scale but in
addition, the distance between values is a constant size
• Interval scales are numeric scales in which we know
both the order and the exact differences between the
values.
• Example of an interval scale
is Celsius temperature
because the difference
between each value is the
same.
• The difference between 20 and 30 degrees is a
measurable 10 degrees, as is the difference between 50
and 40 degrees.
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Quantitative data – Ratio Data
• Highest Level of Measurement. Includes all
characteristics of interval level
• Distance between numbers are a known
• Constant size
• Major difference between
interval and ratio level
• Ratio level data has a meaningful
zero point
• Ratio between the two numbers is
meaningful
• For Example: If the dial on the weighing scale shows
zero, then there is a complete absence of weight
• If Mr.X earns INR 6Lakhs pa and Mr.Y earns 2 Lakhs
pa, then Mr.X earns 3 times than Ravi Swipe>>
Now you know the importance of
Data & its types
Try to implement in your organization
to execute 6 Sigma Project Successfully
Happy Implementing!
