Definition of Data Mining

The concept of data mining , coming from the English language, is often mentioned in our language as data mining . The notion is linked to the procedure that is carried out to detect patterns in a large amount of data.

The purpose of data mining is to extract certain information from a mass of data to create a structure that can be understood and used. For this, it resorts to database systems, statisticstechniques and other resources.

Data mining analyzes and processes the data in search of a pattern or model . Once a certain structure is discovered, it seeks to make it visible so that it is possible to work with it. In this way, through a semi-automatic or automatic analysis of the data , data mining manages to discover patterns that, until now, were not known. From then on, additional tasks or activities arise that, although they do not belong to the specific field of data mining, are part of their universe.

It can be said that the data mining process starts with the selection of the mass of data. Then we proceed to the analysis of their properties to transform them and extract information that can be interpreted and evaluated. Data mining can be used, for example, to detect potential terrorists . Through the analysis of millions of phone calls, emails and communications of different types, it is possible to discover a pattern that allows identifying people who plan to commit an attack.

A company can also resort to data mining to find certain variables between the data it has from its customers and thus offer a specific product only to those who meet certain requirements.