Defining a data representation refers to the creation of a pattern class. A pattern class describes which specific characteristics will define your abstraction.

For example, in analyzing brands of tomato paste, yo u are interested in a limited subset of properties such as size, color, texture, ripeness, and fragrance these properties represent your pattern class. If you manage an Italian bistro and your goal is to choose the best tomato paste for your spaghetti sauce, you prioritize your subset of properties, identify where each product falls in the pattern class, and then begin looking for patterns in the data/information.

Pattern class: Tomato paste

Relevant properties: Taste, color, texture, smell, and price

Pattern indicates: A preference for local organic tomato sauce

People construct their own "abstractions of reality" on the basis of information available to them, but the perception of this input is affected by our personal mental processes that determine which information is included, how it is organized, and the weight attributed to it. What people perceive, how readily they perceive it, and how they process this information after receiving it are all strongly influenced by past experience, education, cultural values, role requirements, and organizational norms,...