Boost your understanding of data science techniques to solve real-world problems Data science is an exciting, interdisciplinary field that extracts insights from data to solve business problems. This book introduces common data science techniques and methods and shows you how to apply them in real-world case studies. From data preparation and exploration to model assessment and deployment, this book describes every stage of the analytics life cycle, including a comprehensive overview of unsupervised and supervised machine learning techniques. The book guides you through the necessary steps to pick the best techniques and models and then implement those models to successfully address the original business need. No software is shown in the book, and mathematical details are kept to a minimum. This allows you to develop an understanding of the fundamentals of data science, no matter what background or experience level you have.

Discover a new, demand-centric framework for forecasting and demand planning In Consumption-Based Forecasting and Planning, thought leader and forecasting expert Charles W. Chase delivers a practical and novel approach to retail and consumer goods companies demand planning process. The author demonstrates why a demand-centric approach relying on point-of-sale and syndicated scanner data is necessary for success in the new digital economy. The book showcases short- and mid-term demand sensing and focuses on disruptions to the marketplace caused by the digital economy and COVID-19. You’ll also learn: How to improve demand forecasting and planning accuracy, reduce inventory costs, and minimize waste and stock-outs What is driving shifting consumer demand patterns, including factors like price, promotions, in-store merchandising, and unplanned and unexpected events How to apply analytics and machine learning to your forecasting challenges using proven approaches and tactics described throughout the book via several case studies. Perfect for executives, directors, and managers at retailers, consumer products companies, and other manufacturers, Consumption-Based Forecasting and Planning will also earn a place in the libraries of sales, marketing, supply chain, and finance professionals seeking to sharpen their understanding of how to predict future consumer demand.

This is the second edition of a popular graduate level textbook on time series modeling, computation and inference. The book is essentially unique in its approach, with a focus on Bayesian methods, although classical methods are also covered.

A complete discussion of fundamental and advanced topics in Item Response Theory written by pioneers in the field In Item Response Theory, accomplished psychometricians Darrell Bock and Robert Gibbons deliver a comprehensive and up-to-date exploration of the theoretical foundations and applications of Item Response Theory (IRT). Covering both unidimensional and multidimensional IRT, as well as related adaptive test administration of previously calibrated item banks, the book addresses the growing need for understanding of this topic as the use of IRT spreads to other fields. The first book on the topic that offers a complete and unified treatment of its subject, Item Response Theory prepares researchers and students to understand and apply IRT and multidimensional IRT to fields like education, mental health and marketing. Accessible to first year-graduate students with a foundation in the behavioral or social sciences, basic statistics, and generalized linear models, the book walks readers through everything from the logic of IRT to cutting edge applications of the technique. Readers will also benefit from the inclusion of: • A thorough introduction to the foundations of Item Response Theory, including its logic and origins, model-based measurement, psychological scaling, and classical test theory • An exploration of selected mathematical and statistical results, including points, point sets, and set operations, probability, sampling, and joint, conditional, and marginal probability • Discussions of unidimensional and multidimensional IRT models, including item parameter estimation with binary and polytomous data • Analysis of dimensionality, differential item functioning, and multiple group IRT Perfect for graduate students and researchers studying and working with psychometrics in psychology, quantitative psychology, educational measurement, marketing, and statistics, Item Response Theory will also benefit researchers interested in patient reported outcomes in health research.

Cover all the machine learning techniques relevant for forecasting problems, ranging from univariate and multivariate time series to supervised learning, to state-of-the-art deep forecasting models such as LSTMs, recurrent neural networks, Facebook’s open-source Prophet model, and Amazon’s DeepAR model. Rather than focus on a specific set of models, this book presents an exhaustive overview of all the techniques relevant to practitioners of forecasting. It begins by explaining the different categories of models that are relevant for forecasting in a high-level language. Next, it covers univariate and multivariate time series models followed by advanced machine learning and deep learning models. It concludes with reflections on model selection such as benchmark scores vs. understandability of models vs. compute time, and automated retraining and updating of models. Each of the models presented in this book is covered in depth, with an intuitive simple explanation ofthe model, a mathematical transcription of the idea, and Python code that applies the model to an example data set. Reading this book will add a competitive edge to your current forecasting skillset. The book is also adapted to those who have recently started working on forecasting tasks and are looking for an exhaustive book that allows them to start with traditional models and gradually move into more and more advanced models. What You Will Learn Carry out forecasting with Python Mathematically and intuitively understand traditional forecasting models and state-of-the-art machine learning techniques Gain the basics of forecasting and machine learning, including evaluation of models, cross-validation, and back testing Select the right model for the right use case Who This Book Is For The advanced nature of the later chapters makes the book relevant for appliedexperts working in the domain of forecasting, as the models covered have been published only recently. Experts working in the domain will want to update their skills as traditional models are regularly being outperformed by newer models.

In a crowded field of data visualization and analytics tools, Tableau Desktop has emerged as the clear leader. This is partly due to its ease of use, but once you dive into Tableau's extensive feature set, you'll understand just how powerful and flexible this software can be for your business or organization. With this handy pocket reference, author Ryan Sleeper (Innovative Tableau) shows you how to translate the vast amounts of data into useful information. Tableau has done an amazing job of making valuable insights accessible to analysts and executives who would otherwise need to rely on IT. This book quickly guides you through Tableau Desktop's learning curve. You'll learn: How to shape data for use with Tableau Desktop How to create the most effective chart types Core concepts including discrete versus continuous Must-know technical features including filters, parameters, and sets Key syntax for creating the most useful analyses How to bring it all together with dashboardsAnd more!

QUANTILE REGRESSION A thorough presentation of Quantile Regression designed to help readers obtain richer information from data analyses The conditional least-square or mean-regression (MR) analysis is the quantitative research method used to model and analyze the relationships between a dependent variable and one or more independent variables, where each equation estimation of a regression can give only a single regression function or fitted values variable. As an advanced mean regression analysis, each estimation equation of the mean-regression can be used directly to estimate the conditional quantile regression (QR), which can quickly present the statistical results of a set nine QR(τ)s for τ(tau)s from 0.1 up to 0.9 to predict detail distribution of the response or criterion variable. QR is an important analytical tool in many disciplines such as statistics, econometrics, ecology, healthcare, and engineering. Quantile Regression: Applications on Experimental and Cross Section Data Using EViews provides examples of statistical results of various QR analyses based on experimental and cross section data of a variety of regression models. The author covers the applications of one-way, two-way, and n-way ANOVA quantile regressions, QRs with multi numerical predictors, heterogeneous QRs, and latent variables QRs, amongst others. Throughout the text, readers learn how to develop the best possible quantile regressions and how to conduct more advanced analysis using methods such as the quantile process, the Wald test, the redundant variables test, residual analysis, the stability test, and the omitted variables test. This rigorous volume: Describes how QR can provide a more detailed picture of the relationships between independent variables and the quantiles of the criterion variable, by using the least-square regression Presents the applications of the test for any quantile of any numerical response or ­criterion variable Explores relationship of QR with heterogeneity: how an independent variable affects a dependent variable Offers expert guidance on forecasting and how to draw the best conclusions from the results obtained Provides a step-by-step estimation method and guide to enable readers to conduct QR analysis using their own data sets Includes a detailed comparison of conditional QR and conditional mean regression Quantile Regression: Applications on Experimental and Cross Section Data Using EViews is a highly useful resource for students and lecturers in statistics, data analysis, econometrics, engineering, ecology, and healthcare, particularly those specializing in regression and quantitative data analysis.

INTERMITTENT DEMAND FORECASTING The first text to focus on the methods and approaches of intermittent, rather than fast, demand forecasting Intermittent Demand Forecasting is for anyone who is interested in improving forecasts of intermittent demand products, and enhancing the management of inventories. Whether you are a practitioner, at the sharp end of demand planning, a software designer, a student, an academic teaching operational research or operations management courses, or a researcher in this field, we hope that the book will inspire you to rethink demand forecasting. If you do so, then you can contribute towards significant economic and environmental benefits. No prior knowledge of intermittent demand forecasting or inventory management is assumed in this book. The key formulae are accompanied by worked examples to show how they can be implemented in practice. For those wishing to understand the theory in more depth, technical notes are provided at the end of each chapter, as well as an extensive and up-to-date collection of references for further study. Software developments are reviewed, to give an appreciation of the current state of the art in commercial and open source software. “Intermittent demand forecasting may seem like a specialized area but actually is at the center of sustainability efforts to consume less and to waste less. Boylan and Syntetos have done a superb job in showing how improvements in inventory management are pivotal in achieving this. Their book covers both the theory and practice of intermittent demand forecasting and my prediction is that it will fast become the bible of the field.” — Spyros Makridakis, Professor, University of Nicosia, and Director, Institute for the Future and the Makridakis Open Forecasting Center (MOFC). “We have been able to support our clients by adopting many of the ideas discussed in this excellent book, and implementing them in our software. I am sure that these ideas will be equally helpful for other supply chain software vendors and for companies wanting to update and upgrade their capabilities in forecasting and inventory management.” — Suresh Acharya, VP, Research and Development, Blue Yonder. “As product variants proliferate and the pace of business quickens, more and more items have intermittent demand. Boylan and Syntetos have long been leaders in extending forecasting and inventory methods to accommodate this new reality. Their book gathers and clarifies decades of research in this area, and explains how practitioners can exploit this knowledge to make their operations more efficient and effective.” — Thomas R. Willemain, Professor Emeritus, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Tableau 2021 brings a wide range of tools and techniques for mastering data visualization and business intelligence. In this book, you will delve into the advanced methodologies to fully utilize Tableau's capabilities. Whether you're dealing with geo-spatial, time-series analytics, or complex dashboards, this resource provides expertise through real-world data challenges. What this Book will help me do Draw connections between multiple databases and create insightful Tableau dashboards. Master advanced data visualization techniques that lead to impactful storytelling. Understand Tableau's integration with programming languages such as Python and R. Analyze datasets with time-series and geo-spatial methods to gain predictive insights. Leverage Tableau Prep Builder for efficient data cleaning and transformation processes. Author(s) Marleen Meier and David Baldwin are seasoned professionals in business intelligence and data analytics. They bring years of practical experience and have helped numerous organizations worldwide transform their data visualization strategies using Tableau. Their collaborative approach ensures a comprehensive, beginner to advanced learning experience. Who is it for? This book is perfect for business intelligence analysts, data analysts, and industry professionals who are already familiar with Tableau's basics and wish to expand their knowledge. It provides advanced techniques and implementations of Tableau for improving data storytelling and dashboard performance. Readers seeking to connect Tableau with external programming tools will also greatly benefit from this guide.

This book, "Interactive Dashboards and Data Apps with Plotly and Dash", is a practical guide to building dynamic dashboards and applications using the Dash Python framework. It covers creating visualizations, integrating interactive controls, and deploying the apps, all without requiring JavaScript expertise. What this Book will help me do Master creating interactive data dashboards using Dash and Plotly. Understand how to integrate controls such as sliders and dropdowns into apps. Learn to use Plotly Express for visually representing data with ease. Develop capabilities to deploy a fully functional web app for data interaction. Understand how to use multi-page configurations and URLs for advanced apps. Author(s) None Dabbas is a seasoned Python developer with extensive expertise in data visualization and full-stack development. Drawing from real-world experience, None brings a practical approach to teaching, ensuring that learners understand not only how to build applications but why the approach works. Who is it for? This book is ideal for data analysts, engineers, and developers looking to enhance their visualization capabilities. If you are familiar with Python and have basic HTML skills, you will find this book accessible and rewarding. Beginners looking to explore advanced dashboard creation without JavaScript will also appreciate the clear approach.

Not a data expert? Here’s an engaging and entertaining guide to interpreting and drawing insights from any chart, graph, or other data visualization you’ll encounter. You’re a business professional, not a data scientist. How do you make heads or tails of the data visualizations that come across your desk—let alone make critical business decisions based on the information they’re designed to convey? In The Big Picture, top data visualization consultant Steve Wexler provides the tools for developing the graphical literacy you need to understand the data visualizations that are flooding your inbox—and put that data to use. Packed with the best four-color examples created in Excel, Tableau, Power BI, and Qlik, among others, this one-stop resource empowers you to extract the most important information from data visualizations quickly and accurately, act on key insights, solve problems, and make the right decisions for your organization every time.

If you know how to program, you're ready to tackle Bayesian statistics. With this book, you'll learn how to solve statistical problems with Python code instead of mathematical formulas, using discrete probability distributions rather than continuous mathematics. Once you get the math out of the way, the Bayesian fundamentals will become clearer and you'll begin to apply these techniques to real-world problems. Bayesian statistical methods are becoming more common and more important, but there aren't many resources available to help beginners. Based on undergraduate classes taught by author Allen B. Downey, this book's computational approach helps you get a solid start. Use your programming skills to learn and understand Bayesian statistics Work with problems involving estimation, prediction, decision analysis, evidence, and Bayesian hypothesis testing Get started with simple examples, using coins, dice, and a bowl of cookies Learn computational methods for solving real-world problems

Discover the role of machine learning and artificial intelligence in business forecasting from some of the brightest minds in the field In Business Forecasting: The Emerging Role of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning accomplished authors Michael Gilliland, Len Tashman, and Udo Sglavo deliver relevant and timely insights from some of the most important and influential authors in the field of forecasting. You'll learn about the role played by machine learning and AI in the forecasting process and discover brand-new research, case studies, and thoughtful discussions covering an array of practical topics. The book offers multiple perspectives on issues like monitoring forecast performance, forecasting process, communication and accountability for forecasts, and the use of big data in forecasting. You will find: Discussions on deep learning in forecasting, including current trends and challenges Explorations of neural network-based forecasting strategies A treatment of the future of artificial intelligence in business forecasting Analyses of forecasting methods, including modeling, selection, and monitoring In addition to the Foreword by renowned researchers Spyros Makridakis and Fotios Petropoulos, the book also includes 16 "opinion/editorial" Afterwords by a diverse range of top academics, consultants, vendors, and industry practitioners, each providing their own unique vision of the issues, current state, and future direction of business forecasting. Perfect for financial controllers, chief financial officers, business analysts, forecast analysts, and demand planners, Business Forecasting will also earn a place in the libraries of other executives and managers who seek a one-stop resource to help them critically assess and improve their own organization's forecasting efforts.

Master advanced topics in the analysis of large, dynamically dependent datasets with this insightful resource Statistical Learning with Big Dependent Data delivers a comprehensive presentation of the statistical and machine learning methods useful for analyzing and forecasting large and dynamically dependent data sets. The book presents automatic procedures for modelling and forecasting large sets of time series data. Beginning with some visualization tools, the book discusses procedures and methods for finding outliers, clusters, and other types of heterogeneity in big dependent data. It then introduces various dimension reduction methods, including regularization and factor models such as regularized Lasso in the presence of dynamical dependence and dynamic factor models. The book also covers other forecasting procedures, including index models, partial least squares, boosting, and now-casting. It further presents machine-learning methods, including neural network, deep learning, classification and regression trees and random forests. Finally, procedures for modelling and forecasting spatio-temporal dependent data are also presented. Throughout the book, the advantages and disadvantages of the methods discussed are given. The book uses real-world examples to demonstrate applications, including use of many R packages. Finally, an R package associated with the book is available to assist readers in reproducing the analyses of examples and to facilitate real applications. Analysis of Big Dependent Data includes a wide variety of topics for modeling and understanding big dependent data, like: New ways to plot large sets of time series An automatic procedure to build univariate ARMA models for individual components of a large data set Powerful outlier detection procedures for large sets of related time series New methods for finding the number of clusters of time series and discrimination methods , including vector support machines, for time series Broad coverage of dynamic factor models including new representations and estimation methods for generalized dynamic factor models Discussion on the usefulness of lasso with time series and an evaluation of several machine learning procedure for forecasting large sets of time series Forecasting large sets of time series with exogenous variables, including discussions of index models, partial least squares, and boosting. Introduction of modern procedures for modeling and forecasting spatio-temporal data Perfect for PhD students and researchers in business, economics, engineering, and science: Statistical Learning with Big Dependent Data also belongs to the bookshelves of practitioners in these fields who hope to improve their understanding of statistical and machine learning methods for analyzing and forecasting big dependent data.

Master the Shiny web framework—and take your R skills to a whole new level. By letting you move beyond static reports, Shiny helps you create fully interactive web apps for data analyses. Users will be able to jump between datasets, explore different subsets or facets of the data, run models with parameter values of their choosing, customize visualizations, and much more. Hadley Wickham from RStudio shows data scientists, data analysts, statisticians, and scientific researchers with no knowledge of HTML, CSS, or JavaScript how to create rich web apps from R. This in-depth guide provides a learning path that you can follow with confidence, as you go from a Shiny beginner to an expert developer who can write large, complex apps that are maintainable and performant. Get started: Discover how the major pieces of a Shiny app fit together Put Shiny in action: Explore Shiny functionality with a focus on code samples, example apps, and useful techniques Master reactivity: Go deep into the theory and practice of reactive programming and examine reactive graph components Apply best practices: Examine useful techniques for making your Shiny apps work well in production

Bootstrapping is a conceptually simple statistical technique to increase the quality of estimates, conduct robustness checks and compute standard errors for virtually any statistic. This book provides an intelligible and compact introduction for students, scientists and practitioners. It not only gives a clear explanation of the underlying concepts but also demonstrates the application of bootstrapping using Python and Stata.

Tell your story and show it with data, using free and easy-to-learn tools on the web. This introductory book teaches you how to design interactive charts and customized maps for your website, beginning with simple drag-and-drop tools such as Google Sheets, Datawrapper, and Tableau Public. You'll also gradually learn how to edit open source code templates like Chart.js, Highcharts, and Leaflet on GitHub. Hands-On Data Visualization takes you step-by-step through tutorials, real-world examples, and online resources. This practical guide is ideal for students, nonprofit organizations, small business owners, local governments, journalists, academics, and anyone who wants to take data out of spreadsheets and turn it into lively interactive stories. No coding experience is required. Build interactive charts and maps and embed them in your website Understand the principles for designing effective charts and maps Learn key data visualization concepts to help you choose the right tools Convert and transform tabular and spatial data to tell your data story Edit and host Chart.js, Highcharts, and Leaflet map code templates on GitHub Learn how to detect bias in charts and maps produced by others

Master the syntax for working with R’s plotting functions in graphics and stats in this easy reference to formatting plots. The approach in Visualizing Data in R 4 toward the application of formatting in ggplot() will follow the structure of the formatting used by the plotting functions in graphics and stats. This book will take advantage of the new features added to R 4 where appropriate including a refreshed color palette for charts, Cairo graphics with more fonts/symbols, and improved performance from grid graphics including ggplot 2 rendering speed. Visualizing Data in R 4 starts with an introduction and then is split into two parts and six appendices. Part I covers the function plot() and the ancillary functions you can use with plot(). You’ll also see the functions par() and layout(), providing for multiple plots on a page. Part II goes over the basics of using the functions qplot() and ggplot() in the package ggplot2. The default plots generated by the functions qplot() and ggplot() give more sophisticated-looking plots than the default plots done by plot() and are easier to use, but the function plot() is more flexible. Both plot() and ggplot() allow for many layers to a plot. The six appendices will cover plots for contingency tables, plots for continuous variables, plots for data with a limited number of values, functions that generate multiple plots, plots for time series analysis, and some miscellaneous plots. Some of the functions that will be in the appendices include functions that generate histograms, bar charts, pie charts, box plots, and heatmaps. What You Will Learn Use R to create informative graphics Master plot(), qplot(), and ggplot() Discover the canned graphics functions in stats and graphics Format plots generated by plot() and ggplot() Who This Book Is For Those in data science who use R. Some prior experience with R or data science is recommended.

Write automated unit tests for the ABAP language. This book teaches programmers using simple examples and metaphors and explains the underlying concepts of writing effective automated unit tests. Many, if not most, ABAP programmers learned their programming and testing skills before the ABAP development environment provided an automated unit testing facility. Automated Unit Testing with ABAP: A Practical Approach offers hope and salvation to ABAP programmers who continue to toil with antiquated manual unit testing processes, taking them by the hand and lifting them out of that dungeon of despair with a modern and proven alternative. It begins by explaining how the xUnit family of automated testing frameworks provides a quick and effective means of insuring high-quality software. It then focuses on the ABAP Unit Testing Facility, the xUnit framework applicable specifically to the ABAP language, showing how it can be used to bring ABAP applications underautomated testing control, from old legacy applications to those newly written. Whereas xUnit testing has been widely accepted with developers writing in many other programming languages, it is an unfortunate fact in the ABAP community that many programmers still are unfamiliar with xUnit concepts and do not know how to begin implementing automated unit testing into their development process. This book demonstrates how to refactor programs so they become designed for testability, showing how to use process encapsulation and test isolation to facilitate automated testing, including a thorough explanation of test-driven development and the use of test doubles. The book: Shows how to write automated unit tests for ABAP Instills ABAP programmers with the confidence to refactor poorly written code Explains how an automated testing harness facilitates rapid software development Teaches how to utilize test-driven development (TDD) withABAP Offers advice and tips on the best ways to write automated unit tests What You Will Learn Become familiar with the xUnit approach to testing Know the ABAP statements that interfere with running automated unit tests and how to accommodate them Understand what it means to isolate code for testing and how this is achieved Gain the confidence to refactor poorly written code Make ABAP programs designed for testability Reap the benefits of spending less time manually unit testing ABAP programs Use test-driven development (TDD) with ABAP programming Use configurable test doubles in ABAP Who This Book Is For ABAP programmers who remain unfamiliar with the automated unit testing facility and those who already use it butwant to improve their skill writing and using automated tests. The book addresses the reluctance and trepidation felt by procedural ABAP programmers who need to know some object-oriented concepts to use this facility, expands their horizons, and helps them step through the doorway leading to a different approach to program design.

Master the fundamentals of SPSS with this newly updated and instructive resource The newly and thoroughly revised Second Edition of SPSS Essentials delivers a comprehensive guide for students in the social sciences who wish to learn how to use the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for the effective collection, management, and analysis of data. The accomplished researchers and authors provide readers with the practical nuts and bolts of SPSS usage and data entry, with a particular emphasis on managing and manipulating data. The book offers an introduction to SPSS, how to navigate it, and a discussion of how to understand the data the reader is working with. It also covers inferential statistics, including topics like hypothesis testing, one-sample Z-testing, T-testing, ANOVAs, correlations, and regression. Five unique appendices round out the text, providing readers with discussions of dealing with real-world data, troubleshooting, advanced data manipulations, and new workbook activities. SPSS Essentials offers a wide variety of features, including: A revised chapter order, designed to match the pacing and content of typical undergraduate statistics classes An explanation of when particular inferential statistics are appropriate for use, given the nature of the data being worked with Additional material on understanding your data sample, including discussions of SPSS output and how to find the most relevant information A companion website offering additional problem sets, complete with answers Perfect for undergraduate students of the social sciences who are just getting started with SPSS, SPSS Essentials also belongs on the bookshelves of advanced placement high school students and practitioners in social science who want to brush up on the fundamentals of this powerful and flexible software package.