In business magazines, on TV, and in board rooms, “big data” and “data analytics” are now hot topics. Vast quantities of data are being generated these days, including new types of data such as web traffic, social network data, and reviews and comments on websites. This data is a valuable resource that, when used correctly, can create a competitive edge for companies by improving the quality of decision making. Recent advances in computing hardware and software have made the application of advanced analytical methods much easier. This course takes advantage of these developments to introduce data analytics to those interested in developing expertise in datadriven decision making.
The course is intended to provide an introduction to the tools and techniques of data mining & machine learning that are central to business analytics, with particular emphasis on classification and prediction. The focus will be on business applications and examples from Marketing, Finance, Healthcare, and Operations will be used to illustrate the breadth of applications.