Our network

modeling

Singularity: Is the brain too complex to model?

August 15, 2010 by Stephen Baker
with 772 views
0

We'd been through eight hours of lectures at the Singularity Summit, talks about the future of man-machine interfaces, anti-aging technology, human values in a post-human world. But it was at the end of a long and mind-taxing day that two scientists debated the fundamental question in artificial intelligence: Do we know enough about the... [read more]

Why Learn R? It's the language of Statistics

June 24, 2010 by David Smith
with 450 views
0

In the Introduction to his book “R for SAS and SPSS Users” (Springer 2009) Robert Muenchen offers ten reasons for learning R if you already know SAS or SPSS. All ten reasons say something important about R. However, his fourth reason: “R’s language is more powerful than SAS or SPSS. R developers write most of their analytic methods using... [read more]

PMML support is growing rapidly. From down under and into the stars!

June 4, 2010 by Alex Guazzelli
with 573 views
0

Back in November 2009, I reported on PMML and Open Source Data Mining, highlighting the support open source tools offered for PMML. It is obvious that open source tools for predictive analytics are gaining more and more momentum. Just last month, the KDNuggets.com website ran a poll which asked visitors to vote for the tools they had... [read more]

Voodoo Spectrum of Machine Learning and Data Sets

June 1, 2010 by Max Dama
with 397 views
0

I used to be very gung-ho about machine learning approaches to trading but I'm less so now. You have to understand that that there is a spectrum of alpha sources, from very specific structured arbitrage opportunities -> to stat arb -> to just voodoo nonsense. As history goes on, hedge funds and other large players are absorbing... [read more]

First Look – FICO Xpress and Business Rules

February 17, 2010 by James Taylor
with 269 views
0

Optimization is a mathematical process for finding the best decision for a given business problem – usually highest profit, lowest cost given a set of constraints. Involve applying an algorithm to data, decision variables, constraints and an objective function. In financial services and insurance optimization is still fairly new (... [read more]

Optimizing customer service levels with predictive analytics

February 16, 2010 by James Taylor
with 1,128 views
1

Richard Boire gave a presentation on predictive analytics in customer service at the Canadian Automobile Association. Organizations that successfully adopt analytics are willing, and able to change. Richard’s focus then is on tools and techniques that help create the engagement needed to drive adoption. CAA is the Canadian equivalent of... [read more]

Which is more important? Rearview mirrors or windshield?

January 25, 2010 by Gary Cokins
with 1,028 views
0

A popular pair of PowerPoint slides used by business conference speakers first displays a distant car behind in the rearview mirror of an automobile followed by a second PowerPoint of the same auto’s windshield view with a big oncoming truck directly in your lane – beep-beep! I am conflicted with this not so veiled message. I... [read more]

Physicists, models, and the credit crisis, ctd.

March 21, 2009 by David Smith
with 96 views
0

Allen Engelhardt, physicist and former quant, provides a thoughtful response to my post the other day, where I asked, "Do physicists and engineers get similar [statistical] training?""Of course we do", says Allen. He makes the point, though, that statisticians and physicists have different world-views.  A physicist will "(first) try to... [read more]

First Look - Incanto

March 13, 2009 by James Taylor
with 181 views
0

I got a chance to look at a new decision product this week - Incanto from Qualia Systems in the UK. Incanto is a decision modeling tool and the founders of the company describe their objective as providing both a “scribble pad” where you could have a continual development process, moving pieces around until what you have works, that... [read more]

PAW: New Challenges for Developing Predictive Analytics Solutions

February 19, 2009 by James Taylor
with 245 views
0

Live from Predictive Analytics WorldKhosrow Hassibi of KXEN and Will Tangalos of Wells Fargo presented together on the challenges of predictive analytics in the real world and on Wells Fargo as an example of how some of these challenges can be met. Khosrow began with an overview of the basic predictive analytic tasks:Understand the... [read more]

Why is Modeling Foundational to Performance Management?

February 18, 2009 by Gary Cokins
with 135 views
0

The confusion, ambiguity and lack of consensus about what enterprise performance management is will continue for a long time. Fortunately, many are realizing that performance management is much broader than how it’s often narrowly perceived: as just a CFO initiative with a bunch of dashboard dials and better financial reporting. However... [read more]

PAW: Five Ways to Lower Costs with Predictive Analytics

February 18, 2009 by James Taylor
with 220 views
0

Live from Predictive Analytics WorldI am blogging live from Predictive Analytics World on behalf of SmartData Collective. Hopefully there will also be some podcasts. First up is Eric Siegel, program chair and President of Prediction Impact for the event. Eric defines predictive analytics as "business intelligence" technology that... [read more]