SECAI Core · phase 3 of 15
Structured data
Data that is organized and stored in tables, in rows and columns.
The Explain card
- Plain English
- Structured data is organised into tables with rows and columns, where every field has a defined type and place, like a spreadsheet or a relational database.
- Example
- A model predicting account takeover trains on a table of login events: timestamp, user ID, IP address, device fingerprint and outcome, one row per login.
- Why it matters
- Structured data is easy to validate, query and audit, which makes poisoning or tampering easier to spot. Its schema also tells you exactly which sensitive fields the model touches.
- Hook
- If it fits neatly in a spreadsheet, it is structured.
Where it sits in the deck
Phase 3: Data Fundamentals: Types, Pipelines, and Preparation
Models are only as good as their data — understand the raw material and the engineering that shapes it before covering how it flows or breaks.
