Menu
How Data Mining Works: A Guide to Dmining
Data mining is the process of understanding data through cleaning raw data, finding patterns, creating models, and testing those models. It includes statistics, machine learning, and database systems. Data mining often includes multiple data projects, so it’s easy to confuse it with analytics, data governance, and other data processes. This guide will define data mining, share its benefits and challenges, and review how data mining works. Data mining has a long history. It emerged with computing in the 1960s through the 1980s. Historically, data mining was an intensive manual coding process — and it still involves coding ability and knowledgeable specialists to clean, process, and interpret data mining results today. Data specialists need statistical knowledge and some programming language knowledge to complete data mining techniques accurately. For instance, here are some examples of how companies have used R to answer their data questions. However, some of the manual processes are now able to be automated with repeatable flows, machine learning (ML), and artificial intelligence (AI) systems.

Data mining isn’t precisely data analytics
As discussed, data mining may be confused with other data projects. The data mining process includes projects such as data cleaning and exploratory analysis, but it is not just those practices. Data mining specialists clean and prepare the data, create models, test those models against hypotheses, and publish those models for analytics or business intelligence projects. In other words, analytics and data cleaning are parts of data mining, but they are only parts of the whole.

Benefits of data mining
Data mining is most effective when deployed strategically to serve a business goal, answer business or research questions, or be a part of a solution to a problem. Data mining assists with making accurate predictions, recognizing patterns and outliers, and often informs forecasting. Further, data mining helps organizations identify gaps and errors in processes, like bottlenecks in supply chains or improper data entry.

How data mining works
The first step in data mining is almost always data collection. Today’s organizations can collect records, logs, website visitors’ data, application data, sales data, and more every day. Collecting and mapping data is a good first step in understanding the limits of what can be done with and asked of the data in question. The Cross-Industry Standard Process for Data Mining (CRISP-DM) is an excellent guideline for starting the data mining process. This standard was created decades ago and is still a popular paradigm for organizations that are just starting.

The 6 CRISP-DM phases
The CRISP-DM comprises a six-phase workflow. It was designed to be flexible; data teams are allowed and encouraged to move back to a previous stage if needed. The model also provides opportunities for software platforms that help perform or augment some of these tasks.

1. Business understanding
Comprehensive data mining projects start by first identifying project objectives and scope. The business stakeholders will ask a question or state a problem that data mining can answer or solve.

2. Data understanding
Once the business problem is understood, it is time to collect the data relevant to the question and get a feel for the data set. This data often comes from multiple sources, including structured data and unstructured data. This stage may include some exploratory analysis to uncover some preliminary patterns. At the end of this phase, the data mining team has selected the subset of data for analysis and modeling.

3. Data preparation
This phase begins with more intensive work. Data preparation involves preparing the final data set, which includes all the relevant data needed to answer the business question. Stakeholders will identify the dimensions and variables to explore and prepare the final data set for model creation.

4. Modeling
In this phase, you’ll select the appropriate modeling techniques for the given data. These techniques can include clustering, predictive models, classification, estimation, or a combination. Front Health used statistical modeling and predictive analytics to decide whether to expand healthcare programs to other populations. You may have to return to the data preparation phase if you select a modeling technique that requires selecting other variables or preparing some different sources.

5. Evaluation
After creating the models, you need to test them and measure their success at answering the question identified in the first phase. The model may answer facets of things not accounted for, and you may need to edit the model or edit the question. This phase is designed to allow you to look at the progress so far and ensure it’s on the right track for meeting the business goals. If it’s not, there might be a need to move backwards to previous steps before a project is ready for the deployment phase.

6. Deployment
Finally, once the model is accurate and reliable, it is time to deploy it in the real world. The deployment can take place within the organization, be shared with customers, or be used to generate a report for stakeholders to prove its reliability. The work doesn’t end when the last line of code is complete; deployment requires careful thought, a roll-out plan, and a way to make sure the right people are appropriately informed. The data mining team is responsible for the audience’s understanding of the project.

Types of data mining techniques
Data mining includes multiple techniques for answering the business question or helping solve a problem. This section is just an introduction to two data mining techniques and is not currently comprehensive.

Classification
The most common technique is classification. To do this, identify a target variable and then divide that variable into appropriate level of detail categories. For example, the variable ‘occupation level’ might be split into ‘entry-level’, ‘associate’, and ‘senior’. With other fields such as age and education level, you can train your data model to predict what occupation level a person is more likely to have. You may add an entry for a recent 22-year-old graduate, and the data model could automatically classify that person in an ‘entry-level’ position. Insurance or financial institutions such as PEMCO Insurance used classification to train their algorithms to flag fraud and to monitor claims.

Clustering
Clustering is another common technique, grouping records, observations, or cases by similarity. There won’t be a target variable like in classification. Instead, clustering just means separating the data set into subgroups. This method can include grouping records of users by geographic area or age group. Typically, clustering the data into subgroups is preparation for analysis. The subgroups become inputs for a different technique.


Try Tableau for free to create beautiful visualizations with your data.
TRY TABLEAU FOR FREE
How to avoid data mining mistakes
Data mining is a powerful and useful process for exploring data to predict patterns or outcomes. Unfortunately, it’s easy to do data mining incorrectly. You shouldn’t use data mining if your leaders do not have analytical or statistical knowledge to oversee the software. Inaccurate mining techniques can create incorrect models, resulting in inaccuracies. Further, if the team is using personally identifiable information in data mining activities, they must ensure they are following compliance regulations and governance standards.

Who does data mining in an organization?
Data mining specialization is most often a function or capability of data scientist or data analyst roles. Data mining tends to require large projects with far-reaching, cross-functional project management, and it can ladder up to analytics or business analysis teams. Some organizations look to data mining specialists to build machine learning or artificial intelligence scripts, so proficiency and knowledge of these is often a core competency. Within research organizations or in academia, data mining specialists are likely to be called data scientists or analysts and they can exist either as a part of a single lab or as a part of a service center or center of excellence team for many labs.

Data mining and R
Our customers, partners, and researchers have used data mining and R to innovate and maximize productivity. For example, Wells Fargo needed to clean up user data from 70 million customers to gain clear insights. Their data team was able to use Tableau and R to maximize their computing power and complete major projects much faster than with traditional tools. Modern platforms empower users to get deep into data mining without overwhelming data teams. Learn more about using R in your data mining projects.

Cryptocurrency mining.
Cryptocurrency mining is a process of creating new digital "coins." However, that is as far as simplicity goes. The process of recovering these coins requires solving complex puzzles, validating cryptocurrency transactions on a blockchain network and adding them to a distributed ledger to locate them.17 Oct 2022
Validation of transactions: Bitcoin transactions are validated using blockchain techn...
Security: The concepts of decentralization, cryptography, and consensus guarantee a ...
Reversals: Bitcoin transactions cannot be charged back, reversed, or canceled currency mining

2023: Asíwájú Tinubu and The North

By Tunde Rahman

Could there have been a better and more appropriate platform to interact with and relate to the North than the one provided by the North itself? Certainly no! This is because sensing the need to come together and present a charter of demands to top presidential candidates in the country in order to procure a better deal for the North in 2023, some influential groups and institutions in the region had created an avenue that brought the critical stakeholders together to interface with the candidates ahead of the elections. It was the first time the North would emplace such a powerful forum to listen to what the candidates have to offer. Held under the auspices of Arewa Joint Committee for an interactive session, a coalition of six groups and organisations including the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Arewa House, Jam'iyyar Matan Arewa and Arewa Research and Development Project had organised the talks.

Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress Presidential Candidate, honoured the invitation of the organisers of the conference and came before the region as it were on Monday, October 17, 2022. That he attended the forum despite the allegations that trailed its perceived agenda was a demonstration of good faith by the APC candidate and high esteem in which he held the organisers. Asiwaju Tinubu did not waiver in his resolve to attend the session even when informed of the allegations. For instance, he was told the allegedly hidden intention of the organisers was to deploy the forum to endorse the candidature of Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party. He was told Atiku had bankrolled the conference and was waiting to reap from his alleged investment.

Two or three critical developments around the conference, were interpreted by many observers as giving stimulus to these conspiracy theories. One, the PDP candidate had scheduled a campaign visit to Kaduna well ahead of the conference, suggesting perhaps that he may have long been apprised of the dates for the forum ahead of others. Two, the pairings of the candidates also seemed skewed ostensibly to favour the PDP candidate. Why this perception? When Atiku appeared on Day One of the conference, he was the only seemingly significant candidate scheduled for the day. The other three major contenders namely Asíwájú Tinubu, former Anambra Governor Peter Obi of Labour Party and Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwankwanso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party were grouped together at various times on Day Two.

Also, on the day the trio were supposed to appear, Atiku had staged a campaign rally at the city stadium, a short distance from Arewa House venue of the conference. However, Asiwaju was unperturbed, telling this writer the organisers of the conference were important institutions and prominent groups he must honour. He wanted to seize the opportunity to engage the North as he takes his campaign message of hope, full security, national unity and economic development embodied in his Action Plan christened Renewed Hope to all segments of the Nigerian society.

The organisers of the conference themselves were not oblivious of this underlying allegation. As the conference opened on Day One, the Secretary-General of Arewa Consultative Forum who doubled as the moderator for the event, Mutawalin Gombe Dr. Murtala Aliyu, dismissed the accusation, assuring everyone present there was nothing like that.

Asíwájú seized the moment at Arewa House. His emergence at the arena was as remarkable as the substance of his offerings to the North and the way and manner he delivered the message. The APC presidential candidate arrived at the forum with an entourage comprising a majority of the Northern governors and some political leaders, thus making a big statement. In his entourage were his Vice Presidential Candidate, Senator Kashim Shettima; Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum and Governor of Kebbi, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu; Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council and Governor of Plateau, Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong, and Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai. There were also Governors Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Mai Bala Buni (Yobe), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger) and Bello Matawalle (Zamfara) as well as former governors Saidu Dakingari of Kebbi State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole of Edo and Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara among others. At every turn, Asiwaju praised the governors for standing by him in the ongoing presidential battle, calling them promise-keepers.

The APC candidate shared both his blueprint for Nigeria’s development as well as his plans for the North at the interactive session. Some of the highpoints of his presentation bear restating here. He began by eulogising past leaders of the country including Nigeria’s late Premier of the region, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Nigeria first and only Prime Minister, Tafawa Balewa, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief Nnamdi Azikiwe for being visionary leaders who gave their all to nation-building. Incidentally, on arrival in Kaduna he had first visited the tomb of the late Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello, who he prayed for, for his invaluable sacrifice to the North and country.

Addressing the gathering, he had said: “As I said when I chaired the Sardauna Memorial Lecture, last year, I have a solemn feeling of responsibility and duty to our country every time I am here. Standing here evokes memories of a great leader and a father of this nation, the late Sir Ahmadu Bello, the late Sardauna of Sokoto. The contributions of the Sardauna to nation building remain a reference point for us all. He was a visionary builder of men and institutions.”

He spoke of the vision of the foremost leaders of Nigeria, which, according to him, was for one indivisible and prosperous nation built on shared values of patriotism, equity, justice and brotherhood.

It’s no coincidence, according to him, that at independence, this vision was clearly laid out and encapsulated in the first National Anthem, which says ‘Though tribes and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we stand.’ This is a strong statement which acknowledges the country’s diversity and existence of different perspectives and interests and how that should not stand on the path of unity, he said, while pointing out that the framers of the anthem would baulk to know that 62 years after, “someone would come to the Arewa House to campaign on the basis of tribe or where others come from,” apparently taking a swipe at PDP candidate Atiku who asked the North to vote him because he is from the North.

On his plans for Nigeria as president, Asiwaju said he would consolidate on the investments of the President Buhari administration in all sectors of the nation to build on the successes recorded. The APC presidential standard-bearer also spoke of his plans to ensure that insecurity is nipped in the bud in the North and across the country, harness the resources which abound in every part of the nation for greater economic development and utilize the vast natural resources through strategic investment in infrastructure which will lead to the diversification of the economy and wealth creation across the entire country. 

He promised to pay attention to modern economic drivers such as the digital economy, creative industries, sports and entertainment sectors for the benefit of the young people. Leveraging on his experience of building human capital, which made Lagos one of the largest economies in Africa, Tinubu promised to grow the nation’s economy to an enviable height, while also working to reposition existing industries in the country, making them a competitive source of industrialization and growth not just for the North but the entire country.

“It is time to fetch water from a dry well and I, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, have done it before and I will do it. We will find a way where there are no roads,” he said proudly. While some of the presidential contenders see only despair and failure at every turn, Asiwaju does not deny the immensity of the challenges but preaches the messages of hope and light at the end of the tunnel at every point.

Speaking specifically on his plans for the North, he said the region has a greater advantage in agriculture, and that under his presidency, the region will emerge as the hub of agribusiness in Africa through huge investment in the sector in collaboration with the private sector. “Agriculture is of special interest to me. It is both an economic and existential issue for every country. Experience in the last seven years has shown the potentials of agriculture in solving the problem of unemployment and boosting our GDP,” he pointed out while citing the example of the recent investment in the rice value chain, which led to the springing up of rice mills across the country with attendant wealth creation and reduction in the import bill. He said his vision is for the North to be the hub of agribusiness in sub-Saharan Africa because the region has greater advantage in this regard due to its large and abundant arable land.  

Asiwaju said he would mobilise investment in the livestock value chain, adding that subsectors like the dairy industry that have the potential of adding billions of dollars into our economy will receive significant attention. In collaboration with the private sector and governments at sub-national levels, he promised to make available high yield seeds and inputs, invest heavily in post-harvest storage and processing facilities so the country can significantly increase the value of what she produces. To ensure optimizing the full value of their produce, he would utilize Commodity Exchanges to guarantee return on investments and enhanced wealth for the farmers. Identifying financing as critical to his vision for the agricultural sector, he assured the North he would attract the much-needed investment and re-engineer financing institutions to provide impactful interventions for maximal output.

On his plans for education and reducing out-of-school children in the North, the APC presidential flag bearer while noting that education is the most effective weapon against poverty said compared with other countries, education in Nigeria suffers from funding deficit on account of the population and limited resources. Therefore, he said, working with both states and local governments to reform and retool the system, he would provide the required leadership and mobilize investment for the development of the sector. These reforms, according to him, will give special attention to the welfare and training of teachers and lecturers as necessary catalyst for the better system the North desires.

Asiwaju also identified some priority roads and hydropower projects in the North which are ongoing and which he will follow through and new ones he would introduce to aid the development of the region. Among the power projects he mentioned were the 950MW Zungeru- Kaduna River, 2000 MW Lokoja- Niger River and 1000MW Makurdi-Benue River.

Many were gripped by his presentation and the way and manner he calmly but firmly responded to the questions thrown at him.

Asiwaju’s promise to the North is no fluke I must say. It is not a vote-grabbing gimmick. Asiwaju is a true friend of the North. He has created and maintained a cordial relationship with the North where his friends and associates dotted the landscape. He has built bridges across the Niger. Asiwaju has always identified with and risen in support of the North when challenged by natural occurrences and other unfortunate developments. From Kano State to Katsina, Jigawa to Zamfara and other diverse places in the North, stories abounded of how the APC candidate had supported the people when attacked by bandits or troubled by flooding or other disaster. I have no doubts he will do more for the North and other parts of the country if elected president. Asiwaju was certainly not just playing politics when he asserted that he had always identified with the region right from his association with the late General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua and support for other northern presidential candidates over the years and that he did not, like some others, only remember he was from the region when he needed to ask for their votes.

 

-Rahman, former Editor Thisday Newspaper on Sunday is Media Advisor to Asiwaju Tinubu.

*Over 40 Armed Robbers Attack Nasarawa University’s* Students Community
witng.com Nov 4, 2022 4:03 PM

It was a black Thursday night for the students of Nasarawa State University Keffi, as armed robbers stormed the community and collected their belongings at gun point.

The robbers, who were over forty in numbers attacked the students in their different compounds behind former Lorem Hotel and Angwan Fulani settlement…CONTINUE READING

Preliminary investigation have shown that the criminals, who entered the area, forcefully collected the students’ phones, laptop, money, cloths and their ATM cards and pin numbers.


Speaking with NATIONAL ACCORD on Friday, the Students Union Government (SUG) President, Comrade Gbefwi Ayenajeh, expressed worried over the deadly attack on the students community.

Comrade Ayenajeh stated that the university management, community leaders, landlords association, local security and conventional security operatives, including students union leadership will energize and profer solution to prevent this incessant attack on students settlement.

He urged the university’s management to provide adequate accommodation for students through public private partnership and Nasarawa State Investment Development Agency to cushion the challenges facing students.

Meanwhile, a local security personnel and a vigilante commander, who witnessed the attack on the students in the community while on night duty, Sani Salisu and Abdullahi Abdulraman, both disclosed that the criminals were well armed, and they injured three students.

When contacted, The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of Nasarawa State Command, DSP Ramhan Nansel, denied having knowledge of the attack at the time of filing this report.

Tinubu billed to hold townhall meeting on agriculture, mining in Nasarawa Thursday

In continuation with his engagement with stakeholders across the country, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu and his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima, are billed to attend a townhall meeting in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, on Thursday.

Nasarawa State Governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, disclosed this during the submission of a report by the members of the strategic and planning committee for the 2023 election he inaugurated in June, to ensure the victory of the APC in the state, on Monday.

Engineer Sule said the visit by the APC presidential candidate and his entourage, will be a golden opportunity for the people to sell Nasarawa State to the outside world.

Having attended the townhall meeting in Kano, the Governor announced that Nasarawa State will have its townhall meeting on security, agriculture and mining.

He said following the success recorded during the unveiling and inauguration of his campaign council on Saturday, the scheduled townhall meeting provides another opportunity to sell the state to the outside world.

"I believe we have another opportunity now to sell our state in the area of agriculture and mining and whatever we are doing on security.

"But what I saw from other states that we need to do, is that people try as much as possible to prove to the candidate, because we are hoping by the grace of God, that Tinubu will be the president, so it's important for him to understand also the quality of the people we have, based on the way people will ask their questions and also speak," the Governor added.

He said a committee will be put in place to identify people who will adequately present issues aimed at projecting the state during the townhall meeting, in order to fully utilize the opportunity to sell the state.

"Tinubu is not coming along but with a battalion of people who hopefully will be making decisions about this country. The townhall meeting is really the opportunity," he stated.

Tinubu billed to hold townhall meeting on agriculture, mining in Nasarawa Thursday

In continuation with his engagement with stakeholders across the country, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu and his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima, are billed to attend a townhall meeting in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, on Thursday.

Nasarawa State Governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, disclosed this during the submission of a report by the members of the strategic and planning committee for the 2023 election he inaugurated in June, to ensure the victory of the APC in the state, on Monday.

Engineer Sule said the visit by the APC presidential candidate and his entourage, will be a golden opportunity for the people to sell Nasarawa State to the outside world.

Having attended the townhall meeting in Kano, the Governor announced that Nasarawa State will have its townhall meeting on security, agriculture and mining.

He said following the success recorded during the unveiling and inauguration of his campaign council on Saturday, the scheduled townhall meeting provides another opportunity to sell the state to the outside world.

"I believe we have another opportunity now to sell our state in the area of agriculture and mining and whatever we are doing on security.

"But what I saw from other states that we need to do, is that people try as much as possible to prove to the candidate, because we are hoping by the grace of God, that Tinubu will be the president, so it's important for him to understand also the quality of the people we have, based on the way people will ask their questions and also speak," the Governor added.

He said a committee will be put in place to identify people who will adequately present issues aimed at projecting the state during the townhall meeting, in order to fully utilize the opportunity to sell the state.

"Tinubu is not coming along but with a battalion of people who hopefully will be making decisions about this country. The townhall meeting is really the opportunity," he stated.