Definition
Diagnostic Analytics is a type of data analysis used to identify the causes of observed events, results or changes.
Human Explanation
It answers the question: Why did it happen?
Why it Matters
It helps explain the mechanisms that produced a result and identify the sources of problems.
Conceptual Boundary
Diagnostic Analytics does not predict the future. It concentrates on explaining past observations, and any causal conclusion must be supported by appropriate evidence.
Practical Perspective
It often uses comparisons, trend analysis, correlations and Root Cause Analysis. Correlation can guide investigation but does not by itself prove causation.
Analytical Progression
- Descriptive: What happened?
- Diagnostic: Why did it happen?
- Predictive: What is likely to happen?
- Prescriptive: What should we do?
Diagnosis builds on a reliable description of events and provides context for responsible prediction.