How to do it: For very specific, small datasets, create a simple survey using Google Forms or Microsoft Forms. Share it with a targeted group (friends, family, a small community group) who can provide quick input.
Time commitment: 2-5 hours (form creation, sharing, initial responses).
Tools: Google Forms/Microsoft Forms, Google Sheets (for data export).
Why it's free & fast: You control the data generation and collection process directly.
Example: Gathering opinions on local Mohadevpur transport options from friends dataset to build a small sentiment analysis dataset.
Image Collection from Creative Commons / Public Domain
How to do it: Search image platforms like Flickr, Pixabay, Unsplash, or Wikimedia Commons for images released under Creative Commons or public domain licenses. Filter by specific keywords relevant to your project. Manually download or use simple scripts if allowed.
Time commitment: 4-8 hours (searching, downloading, light organizing).
Tools: Web browser, image viewer, potentially simple Python script for renaming/resizing.
Ethical considerations: Always check the license for each image. Ensure it permits your intended use (e.g., for machine learning training).
Example: Building a small dataset of "Maltese cats" or "Bangladeshi rickshaws" for a simple image classifier.
Leverage Spreadsheets (Pre-existing or Manual Entry)
How to do it: You might already have data lying around in spreadsheets from personal projects, small business records (ensure privacy!), or academic work. If not, consider manually inputting a small amount of highly relevant data.
Time commitment: 1-4 hours (locating, cleaning, structuring).
Tools: Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, Pandas.
Why it's free & fast: You control the data entirely.
Example: Analyzing your personal monthly expenses to build a simple budgeting model.