Definition: Data mining

Data mining is the exploration and analysis of a large amount of data to discover meaningful patterns and rules. It involves finding anomalies, patterns, and correlations within large datasets in order to predict outcomes.

Data mining is also known as Knowledge Discovery in Data (KDD).

Steps involved in data mining

1. Business understanding

This step involves understanding the business use case and how data mining can help to improve strategies.

2. Data understanding

The data is collected from several sources for analysis. This data is then visualized and understood for further analysis.

3. Data preparation

This step involves data cleaning. It is important to maintain the integrity and security of data. Care should also be taken that no important information is overlooked during data cleaning.

4. Data Modeling

Mathematical models are used to find patterns in the data using sophisticated data tools.

5. Evaluation

The findings from the previous step are evaluated and compared with business objectives to determine if they should be deployed across the organization.

6. Deployment

This step involves sharing the findings and taking necessary measures to run the business efficiently.

Applications of data mining