Analysis Model Configurations

Article
11/12/2009

An analysis model configuration contains information used to build Prediction and Segment models. You use model configurations to build Prediction and Segment models so you can analyze data stored in the Data Warehouse. Using the analysis models you can provide product recommendations on your site, and analyze user activity.

The Predictor resource uses analysis model configurations to map data from the Commerce Server Data Warehouse database to cases. A case is the set of information known about a specific user and consists of a set of property/value pairs. Cases are used to build analysis models, which in turn, are used by the PredictorClient object to make predictions about the future behavior of users.

An analysis model configuration specifies:

A collection of tables and/or views in the Data Warehouse that contain the data to be modeled.
The distribution of properties in the analysis model, and whether each property is used for prediction (input value) or is predicted (output value). For example, a model configuration could use the Age property to predict purchase behavior.

Using the Predictor Model Configuration Setup Wizard included in Commerce Server 2002, you can create the following model configurations:

Transactions. Use to build analysis models that predict the products that users are likely to buy. For example, your site could present each user with a list of personal product recommendations.
Demographics. Use to build analysis models that predict the demographic characteristics that your users are likely to share. For example, you can use the demographic analysis models to improve your understanding of the registered users who visit your site.

Note
- The Demographics model configuration requires you to collect specific data with the User profile definition. For information about extending the User profile definition to collect the required demographic data, see Example: Adding Demographic Properties to the User Profile Definition.
Combined Transactions and Demographics. Use to build analysis models that predict likely relationships between demographic characteristics and product purchases. The accuracy of this model is directly proportional to the number of registered users on your Web site.
Product Browsing. Use to build analysis models that predict the products that your users are likely to browse. For example, you can place links on your site that are relevant to your users.
Ad Click. Use to build analysis models that predict the ads that your users are likely to click.

You can build your own analysis model configuration that is based on other data. For example, you may want to build your own analysis model configuration if model configurations provided do not meet your business needs.

If you want to build Prediction and Segment models based on other types of data, you must create new model configurations with the Predictor schema. For information about the Predictor schema, see Predictor Schema. For more information about building custom model configurations, see Custom Model Configurations.

Analysis Model Configurations

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