1. It is good tool for a mathematical model which is a single period and deterministic model 2. It is good for the users who are comfortable in handling the Excel Solver and needs to upgrade the Excel Solver for more than 200 variables 3. It works well for the multiple objective problems. 4. Difficult to manage the big model as 100 constraints and 2000 variables can limit the use of the tool's efficiency. 5. Its limitation is that a model designer can not make a big and complex model.
When you don't have much data science skills or when you need to build something quick, you can get started really fast with SAP Predictive Analytics. There are scenarios, like the ones covered by a neural network, where SAP Predictive Analytics is not well suited, but the big question is usually: "do you really need a neural network to address this use case?"
Ability to use built-in algorithms or expand using R. This means that (with training) casual users can take advantage but also data analysts can do their thing!
Integration and consistency with Lumira. Even Lumira on its own has a quick 'predict' functionality (although limited/black box)
Ability to do the analysis and then present visually using the Lumira visualization capabilities
On the few occasions when I have used it to deal with problems of optimization of relatively large parameters (with a large number of restrictions and decision variables), the program has been slower, not substantially but slower, than programs such as the WinQsb, even when the latter runs on 32-bit machines and not 64. That has caught my attention, even though it is not a real problem for the uses I give to the program.
Given my partial function as a university professor, it has been much more effective and practical to use other software, due to the limited options that the educational license associated with the software has.
The documentation provides an explanation about what features are available but not necessarily what's happening behind the scenes. On the other side, the "community" has grown since the acquisition and most questions are properly addressed by SAP folks. Since the "product maintenance" mode announcement was made, there wasn't much new content published except on the Smart Predict side (which is built by the SAP Predictive Analytics team)
The use of this software does not necessarily follow that it is "globally better" than others. In the department we have used this and others with similar characteristics, given that, as previously indicated, all the software has advantages and weaknesses with respect to other software with similar characteristics. Obtaining better results lies in the user's ability to detect those "benefits and weaknesses" and maximize their usefulness within the specific field of work in which they operate. In our case, one of the reasons that led us to try and use it, was related to trying to "tie" more processes to the same environment, which in this case is the one associated with the Excel database, in such a way as to reduce the initial manipulation and accommodation that should be made to the data if they come from different sources such as MATLAB, or WinQsb. This facilitates the use of software for the type of user who does not necessarily have deep knowledge of linear algebra or operations research, for example.
On the contrary, the most analytical and knowledgeable user manifested in a high percentage, preferring to use MATLAB as a tool, claiming that they have a greater and easier access to the calculation functions, which even in specific cases, could be modified.
We have typically used Spotfire for data analysis but decided to move to SAP Business Objects due to its innate connection with SAP. I found Lumira to be good for visualizations but it is not meant for data analysis. Therefore, we have introduced Predictive Analytics to see if it can fill that gap. So far, it's been far less intuitive than Spotfire to get started, and as far as I am aware so far, it does not bring many additional capabilities. I do, however, like that it utilizes the Lumira look/feel and integrates very well.
- It has allowed finding ways to optimize (minimizing costs or times) the field processes involved in various projects.
It has even allowed, in specific cases where it was used for that purpose, to optimize the allocation of resources (people) to work in different jobs that present weekly variations of the activity that these people must perform.
It has allowed the sensitivity analysis of projects to changes in the decision variables related to them, which, and in very dynamic and changing environments, resulted in substantial decreases in money losses.
