SAS offers easy-to-use predictive analytics

SAS is hoping to improve the way firms use business analytics with the launch of Rapid Predictive Modeler.

The company said that firms could take pressure off business analysts by giving their tasks to non-technical or trained users, while still limiting risk within the enterprise.

Rapid Predictive Modeler is designed to be quick and easy to use, allowing companies to build their own models across a range of different business situations.

For example, SAS said that models could address elements like cross- and up-selling, campaign management and customer churn.

The software has been designed for use by non-statisticians who should be able to create models in a few steps by selecting the data they want to analyse and choosing the variables they want to study.

SAS said that the software can then process the variables and select the most appropriate predictive model.

Users can then turn to easy-to-read charts using SAS' own tools, or Microsoft Office and Excel via a plug-in, to get a better understanding of the results.

One early adopter, Tim Rey, manager of the Advanced Analytics group at the Dow Chemical Company, said that the modelling tool had already proved beneficial.

"SAS Rapid Predictive Modeler ushers our 'non' data miners into the power of predictive analytics," he said.

"Early in the process, users get to see if their target outcomes are likely to be explained by the input variables they chose, saving time by providing a quick reality check."