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Practical Uses for Data Mining for the Consumer

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Data mining is most effective when large amounts of data must be analyzed for any type of pattern. Recognizing patterns is a skill most preschoolers master. However, in terms of computer assisted research, data mining must be called on to assist with the recognition of patterns. Whether the pattern is one or two characters long, or 115, computers are able to search accurately for that exact string of characters. Humans could not, in a timely or efficient manner, sift through a terabyte of data to find how often a particular string of characters repeats itself.

If you have ever used a card catalog at the library, you were data mining. Of course card catalogs are almost all computerized these days, but the process is the same. By narrowing the search parameters to a certain realm, data can be analyzed for patterns and repetitions. Genealogy libraries are flourishing with the aid of computer assisted searches. Researchers no longer have to read entire books or microfilm rolls of data to find the names, places, or dates they need. By entering their search criteria, they can find whether or not a marriage record exists in a certain county during a certain time frame in a matter of seconds.

Of course, data mining with the intention of more accurately targeted advertising is not all bad, either. It is much more effective to market books to a book lover than it is to send them outdoor catalogs and samples of camping recipes. An outdoorsman might rather receive information about tents and sleeping bags than about home decorating. However, the beauty of data mining is that no one person is pigeon holed into only one category. The book lover who also loves to camp might enjoy a book about how to decorate. An ice skating enthusiast might enjoy a vacation in the sun, away from the ice for a while. Just as people are complex, so are our desires and interests. Data mining can provide information to us about any and all of those interests.

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