Predictive Analytics: The Power to Predict Who Will Click, Buy, Lie, or Die is a

good entry-level book into the realm of analysis based on gathered data. The

terminology used is not technical. The writing is humorous, optimistic, and engaging.

The content is eye-opening, insightful, terrifying, and thought-provoking –

simultaneously. Being both informative and enjoyable, the writing style reminded me of

Freakonomics in many ways. Graphic devices such as flow charts, cartoons, diagrams,

data tables, and other illustrations made the information easier to understand. The author

incorporates case studies, anecdotes, literature, quotes, theory, popular culture and other

elements to enhance the entertainment value of the work.

This is the world that we live in. On a daily basis, the subjective choices we make

are compiled and used to forecast myriad outcomes for future decisions. While admitting

the odds of predicting the behavior of an individual are less likely, the author readily

asserts that data is used more effectively to anticipate the preferences of various groups of

people.

Through this book, I learned that predictive analytics is the intricate process of

connecting scraps of information about groups of people in order to estimate the actions

of group members. Although individual calculations are not often accurate, and are

routinely one percent or less, a fraction can represent an advantage of millions of dollars

when applied to a sizable group.

It is important to note the distinction of predictive analytics in comparison to

established practices of forecasting. While forecasting tends to focus on extensive

comparisons, such as presidential elections or economic indicators, predictive analytics

are used to estimate the likelihood of possibilities on a granular level.