A comparative study of data-intensive demand modeling techniques in relation to product design and development

Conrad S. Tucker, Christopher Hoyle, Harrison M. Kim, Wei Chen

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

This paper presents a comparative study of choice modeling and classification techniques that are currently being employed in the engineering design community to understand customer purchasing behavior. An in-depth comparison of two similar but distinctive techniques - the Discrete Choice Analysis (DCA) model and the C4.5 Decision Tree (DT) classification model - is performed, highlighting the strengths and limitations of each approach in relation to customer choice preferences modeling. A vehicle data set from a well established data repository is used to evaluate each model based on certain performance metrics; how the models differ in making predictions/ classifications, computational complexity (challenges of model generation), ease of model interpretation and robustness of the model in regards to sensitivity analysis, and scale/size of data. The results reveal that both the Discrete Choice Analysis model and the C4.5 Decision Tree classification model can be used at different stages of product design and development to understand and model customer interests and choice behavior. We however believe that the C4.5 Decision Tree may be better suited in predicting attribute relevance in relation to classifying choice patterns while the Discrete Choice Analysis model is better suited to quantify the choice share of each customer choice alternative.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationProceedings of the ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference 2009, DETC2009
Pages371-383
Number of pages13
EditionPART A
DOIs
StatePublished - 2010
Event2009 ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, DETC2009 - San Diego, CA, United States
Duration: Aug 30 2009Sep 2 2009

Publication series

NameProceedings of the ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference 2009, DETC2009
NumberPART A
Volume5

Other

Other2009 ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, DETC2009
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CitySan Diego, CA
Period8/30/099/2/09

Keywords

  • C4.5 decision tree classification
  • Data mining
  • Decision based design
  • Discrete choice analysis

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Computer Networks and Communications
  • Hardware and Architecture
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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