Remember this article, “Comparing the Chicago Highway System to your Disaster/Recovery”?

Well, today, as with most days that I drive to the office or a client, the drive was lengthy and I started to compare the complete system of driving to a topic.  This time, instead of DR, I was thinking about predictive analytics.  To this day, I’ve been fortunate and not been in a major accident.  In fact, the only accident I was in was a bump on the bumper that didn’t warrant much more than an, “I’m sorry”.   The reason for that comes from the same concept as predictive analytics follows.

Predictive Driving vs. Analytics

The method I’ve chosen in driving is a predictive, offensive method.  While driving, I’m attentive to the objects around me.  These objects are break lights, manner in which a person is seated while driving and even, how a car is maintaining a path between the lines.  What also comes to mind is the past.  When you drive on a road, roughly the same time, you begin to retain a historical picture of the road, merges and even cars that are familiar and how they drove the last time you were near them.  Given that compilation or, aggregation of data in my own head, I predictively can make judgment calls on whether I’ll slow down to avoid a driver, switch lanes a mile early to avoid a backup for an on ramp or even, prepare to stop when I know, traffic will be stopping or slowing.

All of these aspects are right in line with a successful design methodology for predictive analytics.  A successful design brings in historic views of how data was, how it changed and how it may appear in the future.  This works much the same as driving.  In fact, I’d push to the point that if more drivers acted in this manner, they may have less accidents and traffic would flow better.

Essentially, predictive analytics makes business flow better just as predictive driving may help traffic move better.  Think about that while tasked with a predictive analytics design in front of you.  Also, think about it while you are driving next time.  You may just miss rear ending that car in front of you.