What is the process of converting analog data into digital format called?

The process of converting analog data into a digital format is accurately referred to as digitization. This term encompasses the entire workflow of capturing, converting, and representing physical characteristics of analog information in a digital form, which allows for more efficient storage, processing, and analysis using digital systems.

Digitization involves translating continuous signals or physical representations into discrete data. This is particularly significant in fields such as geospatial analysis, where analog maps or graphical representations are converted into raster or vector formats that software can manipulate.

While terms like "data transformation," "digital conversion," and "analog to digital processing" may seem relevant, they do not specifically designate the process of converting analog data into a digital format in the same way that "digitization" does. Data transformation generally refers to changing the format and structure of data without a specific focus on its analog-to-digital conversion. Digital conversion might imply a broader context that could include various forms of data, not exclusively focusing on the analog origins. Analog to digital processing describes the methodologies and techniques used during the conversion but does not solely identify the process itself. Therefore, digitization is the most precise term for this conversion process.