Data Preparation Is Essential for Predictive Analytics Posted on : Sep 01 - 2015

Our research into next-generation predictive analytics shows that along with not having enough skilled resources, which I discussed in my previous analysis, the inability to readily access and integrate data is a primary reason for dissatisfaction with predictive analytics (in 62% of participating organizations). Furthermore, this area consumes the most time in the predictive analytics process: The research finds that preparing data for analysis (40%) and accessing data (22%) are the parts of the predictive analysis process that create the most challenges for organizations. To allow more time for actual analysis, organizations must work to improve their data-related processes.

Organizations apply predictive analytics to many categories of information. Our research shows that the most common categories are customer (used by 50%), marketing (44%), product (43%), financial (40%) and sales (38%). Such information often has to be combined from various systems and enriched with information from new sources. Before users can apply predictive analytics to these blended data sets, the information must be put into a common form and represented as a normalized analytic data set. Unlike in data warehouse systems, which provide a single data source with a common format, today data is often located in a variety of systems that have different formats and data models. Much of the current challenge in accessing and integrating data comes from the need to include not only a variety of relational data sources but also less structured forms of data. Data that varies in both structures and sizes is commonly called big data. View more