What are the key differences between descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics?

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What are the key differences between descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics?

dipaverma
The key differences between descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics lie in their objectives, techniques, and outcomes. Here's a breakdown of each:
1. Descriptive Analytics

    Objective: Understand what has happened in the past.
    Focus: Provides insights into historical data by summarizing it.
    Techniques: Basic statistics, data aggregation, data mining, and visualization.
    Outcome: Helps in answering questions like "What happened?" or "What is happening?" It involves reporting key performance indicators (KPIs) and trends.
    Example: A report showing last year's sales figures, customer demographics, or website traffic.

2. Predictive Analytics

    Objective: Predict what is likely to happen in the future.
    Focus: Uses historical data to forecast future outcomes.
    Techniques: Machine learning, regression analysis, time-series forecasting, and statistical modeling.
    Outcome: Helps in answering questions like "What could happen?" It identifies patterns and relationships in data to make forecasts.
    Example: Predicting customer churn, sales projections, or risk assessment in financial markets.

3. Prescriptive Analytics

    Objective: Provide recommendations on actions to take.
    Focus: Suggest optimal courses of action based on data.
    Techniques: Optimization algorithms, simulation models, and decision analysis.
    Outcome: Helps in answering questions like "What should we do?" It predicts outcomes and recommends specific actions to achieve desired goals.
    Example: Recommending the best pricing strategy, supply chain optimization, or personalized marketing campaigns based on customer behavior.

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