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Data mining projects identify patterns in large data sets to inform decision-making. Personnel from various areas of the organization are required, and software and skill sets are necessary. The four phases include a requirements document, defining user specifications, implementing the database, and writing queries and reports.
A data mining project is usually started by business managers or analysts. The purpose of data mining is to identify patterns or trends in large data sets. For example, a data mining project on customer buying trends can help inform decision-making around a new product launch, customer preferences, and priorities.
Every data mining project requires a combination of personnel from a number of different areas within the organization. The project manager is usually someone with experience in business intelligence tools, data mining, and data warehouse support. Subject matter experts are recruited from different areas of practice within the organization. For example, marketing, sales and accounts receivable personnel would add value to the project. The IT staff included in the project would include systems and business analysts.
There are two main requirements to support a data mining project: software and skill set. There is a variety of business intelligence software that provides the tools needed to support data mining. In general, transactional data needs to be identified and moved into the data warehouse. Once the relational database structure is created, data mining tools are used to create queries, data cubes, and custom reports.
Personnel working on a data mining project require expertise in statistics, information technology, data management, and data integrity issues. The software used in this type of project is very complex and user training is required to use the features provided. For many organizations, the costs associated with a data mining project must be carefully weighed against the possible benefits of this technology.
There are four phases to a data mining project: a requirements document, defining user specifications, implementing the database, and writing queries and reports. The requirements document is created by the project manager, based on discussions with the project sponsor. The purpose of this document is to clearly state the project scope, resources, timeline, and delivery date. It is very common to request signatures from the project sponsor and executive level to ensure that senior management has approved the project.
User specifications are often created by a team of business analysts and end users. This process typically requires a series of meetings, documentation review, and modification. The more collaborative the process, the more satisfying the end results will be. Working together results in greater understanding of the user perspective by business analysts.
The specification and requirements document is provided to the Business Intelligence System team, who are responsible for building the database structure, extracting the required data, and collaborating with other team members to configure the necessary infrastructure to support this initiative. This aspect of the project requires time, software and hardware. In many organisations, a cost-benefit analysis is presented to the project sponsor at this stage in order to secure funding.
Actual queries and reports are based on user needs and should be tested by business analysts before implementation. Look at key business functions and current reports to see what information is needed and determine if data mining is an appropriate tool to meet this need.
