Characterising Data Mining software

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Giraud-Carrier, C. | Povel, O.

Affiliations: ELCA Informatique SA, Av. de la Harpe, 22-24, CH-1000 Lausanne 13, Switzerland. Tel.: +41 21 613 21 11; Fax: +41 21 613 21 00; E-mail: cgc@elca.ch

Abstract: The ever-increasing number of fielded Data Mining applications is evidence that the technology works and produces added value in a variety of business areas. Most of the research-lab generated algorithms have found their way under various guises in a number of commercial software packages. When considering the use of Data Mining, the average business user is now faced with a plethora of DM software to choose from. In order to be informed, such a choice requires a standard basis from which to compare and contrast alternatives along relevant, business-focused dimensions, as well as the location of candidate tools within the space outlined by these dimensions. This paper aims at meeting this business requirement. It presents a standard schema for the characterisation of Data Mining software tools and the results of a recent survey of 41 popular Data Mining tools described within this schema.

Keywords: data mining, tool characterisation, tool comparison, business decision support

DOI: 10.3233/IDA-2003-7302

Journal: Intelligent Data Analysis, vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 181-192, 2003