Applied predictive modeling in Python is very popular because it is about the machine learning and deep learning domain. The machine learning algorithms predict results based on the data provided by the model for training. The different Python libraries can be used to implement predictive modeling. In this article, we will see how this applied predictive modeling is implemented in Python.
What is Predictive Modeling?
In Python, predictive modeling involves the use of statistical and machine learning techniques to create models that can make predictions or forecasts based on input data. The process starts by training a model with historical or existing data, allowing it to learn patterns and relationships. Subsequently, this trained model is utilized for making predictions on new, unseen data.
The objective of predictive modeling revolves around utilizing available data to construct an accurate model capable of predicting or estimating a desired outcome or target variable. This outcome may take the form of categorical classification, such as identifying groups, or continuous regression, involving quantifiable values. Predictive modeling finds extensive application across industries and domains, addressing crucial tasks like customer segmentation, fraud detection, demand forecasting, risk assessment, recommendation systems, and more.
Workflow of Predictive Modeling
Problem Definition Begin by clearly defining the problem you aim to solve and the objectives of your predictive model. Identify the specific type of problem, whether it be classification, regression, clustering, or another addition. Determine the target variable you intend to predict.
Data Collection and Preparation: Gather pertinent data relevant to your specific problem domain.
Thoroughly clean and preprocess the collected data ensuring any missing values or outliers are appropriately handled. Should it prove necessary, engage in feature engineering as well. Additionally, divide the data into training and testing sets for subsequent model evaluation. Feature Selection and Engineering: Choose relevant features that are likely to exert a significant influence on the target variable. Conduct exploratory data analysis (EDA) for a comprehensive understanding of the data and identification of any relationships present. If required, generate new features to further enhance predictive capabilities.
Model Selection Based on both the nature of the problem at hand and the characteristics of the data, carefully select appropriate machine learning algorithms. Potential options include linear regression, logistic regression, decision trees, random forests, and support vector machines (SVM). Model Training, Train your chosen models using the prepared training data. Employ techniques such as cross validation and grid search to fine-tune hyperparameters in order to optimize overall model performance.
Model Evaluation, Utilize fitting evaluation metrics like accuracy, precision, recall, F1 score. Mean squared error (MSE). Among others, to assess trained models effectively. Compare various models against one another and ultimately select the highest-performing option.
Model Deployment, Upon achieving a well-performing model through extensive evaluation processes outlined above, successfully deploy the said model for making predictions on novel unseen data instances.
Different Libraries/Methods in Python to support Predictive Modeling
Some basic, common, and very popular libraries are available in Python for the implementation of predictive modeling. These libraries from Python provide very useful functions to implement predictive modeling. Let’s see these libraries one by one that supports predictive modeling in Python.
Scikit-learn
Scikit-learn is a widely-used machine learning library. It offers a diverse array of algorithms and tools to support tasks like classification, regression, clustering, and more.
TensorFlow
TensorFlow is an open-source library primarily utilized for deep learning. It empowers users to construct and train neural networks to tackle predictive modeling tasks with ease.
Keras
Keras, an intuitive and user-friendly high-level neural networks library, is built on top of TensorFlow. It provides a simplified API that allows users to effortlessly build and train models.
PyTorch
PyTorch is a deep learning library known for its dynamic computational graph and impressive GPU acceleration capabilities.
XGBoost
XGBoost, a renowned library for gradient boosting, is widely recognized for its exceptional performance and robust predictive modeling capabilities.
Now, let’s see implementation of applied predictive modeling using some most popular libraries.
Applied Predictive Modeling using Scikit-learn Library
Let’s see the implementation of the scikit-learn library for applied predictive modeling using the iris dataset. We will use the random forest classifier to train the model and classify the data. Afterward, we will evaluate the model’s accuracy, precision, recall score, and f1 score.
from sklearn.datasets import load_iris
from sklearn.model_selection import train_test_split
from sklearn.ensemble import RandomForestClassifier
from sklearn.metrics import accuracy_score, precision_score, recall_score, f1_score
iris_data = load_iris()
X = iris_data.data
y = iris_data.target
X_train, X_test, y_train, y_test = train_test_split(X, y, test_size=0.2, random_state=42)
model = RandomForestClassifier()
model.fit(X_train, y_train)
predictions = model.predict(X_test)
accuracy = accuracy_score(y_test, predictions)
precision = precision_score(y_test, predictions, average='macro')
recall = recall_score(y_test, predictions, average='macro')
f1 = f1_score(y_test, predictions, average='macro')
print("Accuracy:", accuracy)
print("Precision:", precision)
print("Recall:", recall)
print("F1-Score:", f1)
First, we imported all the libraries necessary for this code, along with the Python-provided dataset. The data was then pre-processed and split into training and testing subsets. The model’s accuracy, precision, recall score, and f1 score will be evaluated afterward.

Your model’s accuracy can be determined by implementing similar code with your own dataset. The outcome of this experiment will reveal the dataset’s high accuracy rate of 100%.
Importance of Applied Predictive Modeling
There are different applications of applied predictive modeling in Python. Every machine learning model is based on the predictions. The predictions can be made using different libraries in Python. Predictive modeling empowers individuals to construct models capable of accurately forecasting outcomes or estimating target variables through the analysis of available data. This precision proves vital in guiding well-informed decision-making processes and facilitating appropriate actions. By analyzing data patterns and relationships, predictive models offer valuable insights into the factors impacting the target variable. This understanding aids businesses in comprehending customer behavior, identifying key drivers of success, uncovering hidden patterns, and making data-informed decisions.
Summary
In this article, the applied modeling in Python is used to implement the machine learning and deep learning models. The different Python libraries support predictive modeling. The example of scikit-learn library is implemented to show the workflow. The importance of applied predictive modeling is also explained in detail. Hope you will enjoy this article.
References
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