How can data be acquired

You may want to gather some types of data continuously. When it comes to transactional data and website visitor data, for example, you may want to set up a method for tracking that data over the long term. At this step, you will choose the data collection method that will make up the core of your data-gathering strategy. Once you have finalized your plan, you can implement your data collection strategy and start collecting data.

You can store and organize your data in your DMP. Be sure to stick to your plan and check on its progress regularly. It may be useful to create a schedule for when you will check in with how your data collection is proceeding, especially if you are collecting data continuously. You may want to make updates to your plan as conditions change and you get new information.

The analysis phase is crucial because it turns raw data into valuable insights that you can use to enhance your marketing strategies, products and business decisions.

You can use the analytics tools built into our DMP to help with this step. So, how do you go about collecting the data you need to meet your goals? There are various methods of collecting primary, quantitative data. Here are some of the most common types of data collection used today. Surveys are one way in which you can directly ask customers for information. You can use them to collect either quantitative or qualitative data or both.

A survey consists of a list of queries respondents can answer in just one or two words and often gives participants a list of responses to choose from. You can conduct surveys online, over email, over the phone or in person. One of the easiest methods is to create an online survey you host on your website or with a third party. You can then share a link to that survey on social media, over email and in pop-ups on your site.

When someone visits your website, they create as many as 40 data points. Accessing this data allows you to see how many people visited your site, how long they were on it, what they clicked on and more. Your website hosting provider may collect this kind of information, and you can also use analytics software. You can also place pixels on your site , which enables it to place and read cookies to help track user behavior.

Lotame can help you with this online data collection process. Whether you sell goods in-store, online or both, your transactional data can give you valuable insights about your customers and your business. You may store transactional records in a customer relationship management system.

That data may come from your web store, a third party you contract with for e-commerce or your in-store point-of-sale system. This information can give you insights about how many products you sell, what types of products are most popular, how often people typically purchase from you and more.

You can also collect valuable data through your marketing campaigns, whether you run them on search, webpages, email or elsewhere. You can even import information from offline marketing campaigns that you run. The software you use to place your ads will likely give you data about who clicked on your ads, what times they clicked, what device they used and more.

Lotame Insights can also help you gather data about your campaigns. If you track the performance of offline ads by, for example, asking customers how they heard about your brand, you can import that data into your DMP. Social media is another excellent source of customer data. You can look through your follower list to see who follows you and what characteristics they have in common to enhance your understanding of who your target audience should be. Many social media sites will also provide you with analytics about how your posts perform.

Third-party tools may be able to offer you even more in-depth insights. Offering customers something in return for providing information about themselves can help you gather valuable customer data.

You can do this by requiring some basic information from customers or site visitors who want to sign up for your email list, rewards program or another similar program. One benefit of this method is that the leads you get are likely to convert because they have actively demonstrated an interest in your brand.

If you have a brick-and-mortar store, you can also gather insights from monitoring the foot traffic there. The most straightforward way to do this is with a traffic counter on the door to help you keep track of how many people come into your store throughout the day. This data will reveal what your busiest days and hours are. It may also help give you an idea about what is drawing customers to your store at certain times.

Collecting data is valuable because you can use it to make informed decisions. The more relevant, high-quality data you have, the more likely you are to make good choices when it comes to marketing, sales, customer service, product development and many other areas of your business. Some specific uses of customer data include the following.

It can be difficult or impossible to get to know every one of your customers personally, especially if you run a large business or an online business. The better you understand your customers, though, the easier it will be for you to meet their expectations. If it does not meet your needs, then documenting why it does not allows you to move forward to other acquisition options. USGS: The decision of who will perform new data collection must be balanced between the following:.

While USGS can obtain some data from outside sources, we recognize that the bulk of an employee's work is the creation and maintenance of data. Data collection is an area where cost savings mechanisms are needed.

For instance, Global Positioning Systems and mobile units are now being used to take field data and enter them directly from the source. The problem remains that quality data be collected initially at the source where data can be correlated directly with observation , where the strictest controls should be placed.

Unfortunately, heretofore, strict control has not occurred at the source. Therefore, before data are initially collected, strict controls must be in place. All of the analysis, definitions, and standards need to be in place prior to any field information collection.

While this may seem obvious, it is not always practiced. Good planning will reduce this heavy budget item. Data must be reviewed and updated on a regular schedule to maintain a high standard of quality. You should have an idea of the smallest change in a signal that you want to see. Systems with the highest dynamic range provide the best possible vertical axis measuring resolution.

But you also have to consider the time axis, because if changes in amplitude fall between samples, they cannot be measured. For shock, noise, and vibration applications, a dynamic range of to even dB is highly desirable.

This allows our DAQ modules to achieve an astonishing dB of dynamic range in the time and frequency domains. There will always be some inaccuracies introduced into the measurement chain, starting right at the sensor itself. The most common factors contributing to the inaccuracy of any measuring system are gain errors, offset errors, and temperature drift errors in the analog domain and the time base accuracy of the ADC analog-to-digital converter and digital counters.

A good DAQ system will specify its accuracy in a clear and consistent way. It can also be written as a percentage of full-scale. Temperature drift can affect both the gain and offset accuracy. This ties the error directly to the change in ambient temperature, in Kelvin.

Even when they are shielded properly, sensor cables are like antennas. The key is to find the system with the best isolation and the best grounding practices.

Please see the next question for more details about isolation. But it also preserves the integrity of all measured data regardless of voltage level, by eliminating or reducing noise, crosstalk, and ground loops, which can either obscure or completely destroy your measurements.

Channel-to-channel isolation means that the noise or crosstalk between and among all channels is prevented. Input-to-output isolation means that whatever the sensor or measuring wire is connected to in the outside world is isolated from the DAQ system. Systems with both channel-to-channel and input-to-output isolation provide the most robust isolation. Filtering is one of the most important elements of analog signal conditioning. Filtering allows you to reduce or completely block frequencies above or below a selectable frequency component from being recorded.

There are also band-pass and band-stop filters, allowing you to select a certain range of frequencies for inclusion or exclusion. Filtering is sometimes needed to block 50 or 60 Hz noise created by nearby electrical power systems, or higher frequencies from electromotors, generators, power supplies, fluorescent lights, etc.

There are many sources of electrical noise that can interfere with your measurements. Ask yourself if you need non-destructive filtering. Would it be helpful if the filters applied before recording could be removed afterward, or changed completely?

Dewesoft systems have this capability. Aliasing must be prevented before the measurement is made, otherwise, there is no way to recreate the real signal later. Any DAQ system that is used for noise, shock, and vibration, or applications that involve AC waveforms should have robust, completely automatic anti-aliasing built-in, to ensure the integrity of your measurements. What is signal conditioning or signal conditioner? What is ADC analog-to-digital converter?

The job of a DAQ system is to reproduce the character of the signal with as much fidelity as possible. A good rule of thumb is to pick a system that is capable of sampling at least 10 times faster than the fastest signal that you need to capture.

For example, if you need to capture signals that have 20 kHz content, your system should be capable of sampling at kHz. You might read that you only need 2x over-sampling, i. Just note that only 2 samples per period cannot reproduce the appearance of the waveform.

Dewesoft data acquisition technologies explained. Most engineers have a limited budget every year, and they tend to favor systems that are easy to upgrade or add on to, next year, and in the years that follow. They can be synchronized together easily. They share a common software platform that integrates them all and eliminates having to learn to use completely different systems. Dewesoft data acquisition systems are modular by design.

The input channel count and configurations can grow together with your testing need so you can easily expand the entire testing system at any time. Certainly, any mobile environment, like inside a car, truck, train, etc. Besides being generally smaller and lighter, portable systems typically run from either AC or DC power, so that they can be easily powered inside vehicles.

Many of them also run from internal batteries, making them ideal for fieldwork. If your environment is a nice clean laboratory or manufacturing floor then a benchtop system is generally fine. Benchtop systems are typically AC-powered and are larger than portable ones. Dewesoft provides all kinds of data acquisition systems from handheld, benchtop, portable, to rugged, and high-channel rack-mounting systems.

This is a matter of your preference. They are generally less expensive for the same reason. And, you can use your own computer. You know your environment better than anyone, so you probably already know the answer to this question. Most DAQ systems are not designed for high shock and vibration environments. Always check the shock and vibration ratings.

Systems rated in the g range EN are considered rugged. Vibration is also a factor, particularly random vibration. Dewesoft DAQ systems are extensively tested in our state-of-the-art testing labs for shock and vibration. We install our systems on rocket launch platforms, use them in off-road proving grounds and all other types of environments where high ruggedness is needed!

Another question worth thinking about is operating temperature, dust, and water protection. Environmental testing either in nature or in chambers always requires systems that can tolerate a much wider range of temperatures that are found in factories and laboratories. It can also lead to salty air, heavy humidity, fog, dust, and even rain. If this is your working environment, then a system rated to IP65 or IP67 is a very good idea, since it will be sealed against the ingress of particles, including water.

DAQ manufacturers vary in terms of how much and which information is provided within their specifications. Is isolation of V shown on several modules, but not mentioned at all with other signal conditioners? That could be a red flag. Always make sure that you know what the most important specifications to you really are, and how they apply to all important aspects of the product. It should be well-written in your language, and clear. Ideally, the manual will also be available as a searchable PDF file or even available online as a website with extensive search features.

And a great convenience is HELP built right into the software itself. Is it searchable? Does it contain the entire manual? Also check if there are any other training resources available like webinars, online training courses, how-to guides, that will help you achieve your goals.

Download Dewesoft hardware manuals. Download Dewesoft software manuals. Download Dewesoft application manuals.