Unstructured Data

Unstructured Data (or unstructured information) refers to information that either does not have a pre-defined data model and/or does not fit well into relational tables. Unstructured information is typically text-heavy, but may contain data such as dates, numbers, and facts as well. This results in irregularities and ambiguities that make it difficult to understand using traditional computer programs as compared to data stored in fielded form in databases or annotated (semantically tagged) in documents.

In 1998, Merrill Lynch cited estimates that as much as 80% of all potentially usable business information originates in unstructured form. Such estimates may not be based on primary research, but they are nonetheless widely accepted. More recently, multiple analysts have estimated that data will grow 800% over the next five years. Unstructured information accounts for more than 70%–80% of all data in organizations and is growing 10–50x more than structured data.