data

1. General: Information in raw or unorganized form (such as alphabets, numbers, or symbols) that refer to, or represent, conditions, ideas, or objects. Data is limitless and present everywhere in the universe. In fact, as Dr. Norbert Wiener (co-founder of the science of cybernetics) once suggested, this world "... may be viewed as a myriad of 'To Whom It May Concern' messages." See also information and knowledge.

2. Computers: Symbols or signals that are input, stored, and processed by a computer, for output as usable information.

When conducting market research, it's misleading to describe a product or service and ask people if they'd buy it if it existed. Companies have found that surveys like this are highly inaccurate. A somewhat better approach is to look at what your target audience already buys and use that to guesstimate whether they would buy the product or service you're considering making. But even better, you can do an actual test of user behavior by spending a small amount on online advertising, driving people to a landing page with your sales pitch and seeing if they try to place orders, even before you have started manufacturing the product. You'll be gathering data on real customer behavior and you'll also be building a list of people who will probably still want to buy your product or service if and when you do decide to make it.