Use case workflows
In this section we aim to provide you with some common, valuable workflows that we have seen people use over the years. With this content, we aim to shorten the path to value for new TrendMiner users, as well as inspire more experienced users with novel ideas. The idea is for you to browse the workflows listed until you find something of interest to you, and apply the instructions to your specific case. Ideally, this should achieve the goals of both providing you with some immediate value, as well as gaining a deeper understanding of how to use TrendMiner. No prior knowledge is required, you can simply dive in and learn about the features and concepts of TrendMiner as you go.
Achtung
The workflows are a work in progress, and only a limited number have been added. The ones added so far are not necessarily the most important or common workflows.
The workfow concept
A workflow is not quite a use case. After all, there is are an infinite number of use cases, most of which will not be applicable to your specific situation. A workflow instead is a common procedure to a specific group of use cases. From our experience, we learned that 80% of the use cases people perform are covered by approximately 30 such procedures. Reviewing these and checking which ones apply to your needs is quite a manageable task, and could provide you with immense value.
For a clearer overview, workflows are grouped into three categories: reporting, troubleshooting and monitoring.
Building blocks
To avoid endless repetition for both you as the reader, and us as the writers, the workflows are assembled from common, reusable 'building blocks'. A building block can refer to the use of a specific feature, or the performance of a specific step in TrendMiner (which in turn might reference specific features). This way we can list a workflow as a procedure in which you follow specific steps.
As you see the same steps reappearing throughout the different workflows, you will start to recognize them by name and there will be no more need for you the review the details of that building block. Where the first few workflows will feel tedious (you will have to dive into the building block details, from which you will likely also have to look into the details of the used features), before long will be able to skim through a workflow and know how it's done.
For more experienced users who don't want to leave any stone unturned, a direct review of potential buildings blocks is certainly also a possibility.
Scope
Covering all potential actions in TrendMiner is not possible or even desirable, as an overload of options might serve to paralyze rather than users. The workflows and building blocks listed here are the ones that we consider the most common and valuable.
Workarounds
Featured as a separate topic are a number of common, non-intuitive workarounds to current product limitations. This workarounds should be used sparingly, but can sometimes make the difference in cracking a use case.