Exploration Des Possibilités de L'EDA

Résumé du livre

Options for producing analytical outputs have never been greater. Sorted reports vs. multi-dimensional databases, an 8x11 sheet of paper vs. a 21-inch colour monitor, a ledger vs. a spreadsheet. Technological advances have changed the manner and speed with which data can be processed and analyzed. Analysts are now in an ideal environment om which exploratory data analysis (EDA) can actually be undertaken. Old approaches, constrained by processing limitations, confined analysts to inflexible "standardized" reports. Today analysts can confront data in a spontaneous fashion. They can choose to visualize their data, to conduct secondary analysis, and to create and evaluate different models in mere seconds. Organizations have invested heavily in technology, data warehousing projects, decision support software and are now demanding that analysts begin exploring this information and producing results which lead to competitive advantages and efficiencies. So analysts out there what are you waiting for, fire up your computers, load the latest software and get started! Well, not so fast! While technology empowers analysts to conduct EDA, there is a larger framework that must be considered. Indeed certain factors must exist outside of technology before EDA can be undertaken. This paper identifies some of the conditions necessary for an organization to empower its analysts to effectively engage in exploratory data analysis. Specifically we focus on the need to build a common repository of information, the development/deployment of data retrieval and assembly tools and the implementation of standard steps to guide analysts through the EDA process. The food service industry was chosen to illustrate these concepts throughout the paper.