Data mining

Data mining uses statistical or computational techniques to explore data for patterns that may support a business question. Techniques can include clustering, classification and association analysis, depending on the task and data. A discovered pattern needs validation on suitable data and business interpretation before it informs a decision: spurious relationships, biased samples and poor-quality records can mislead. Consider access, privacy and whether the relationship is stable. Data mining is part of a wider analytical process, not a guarantee that a pattern causes an outcome.