Difference Between Predictive Analytics vs Descriptive Analytics

Predictive Analytics

Predictive Analytics will help an organization to know what might happen next, it
predicts future based on present data available. It will analyze the data and
provide statements that have not happened yet. It makes all kinds of predictions
that you want to know and all predictions are probabilistic in nature.

Descriptive Analytics

Descriptive Analytics will help an organization to know what has happened in the
past, it would give you the past analytics using the data that are stored. For a
company, it is necessary to know the past events that help them to make decisions
based on the statistics using historical data. For example, you might want to know
how much money you lost due to fraud and many more.

Head to Head Comparison Between Predictive Analytics and Descriptive Analytics

(Infographics)
Below is the top 7 comparison between Predictive Analytics and Descriptive
Analytics:

Predictive Analytics vs Descriptive Analytics

Key Differences Between Predictive Analytics and Descriptive Analytics
Below is the detailed explanation of Predictive Analytics and Descriptive
Analytics:

Descriptive Analytics will give you a vision into the past and tells you: what has
happened? Whereas the Predictive Analytics will recognize the future and tells you:
What might happen in future?
Descriptive Analytics uses Data Aggregation and Data Mining techniques to give you
knowledge about past but Predictive Analytics uses Statistical analysis and
Forecast techniques to know the future.
Descriptive Analytics is used when you need to analyze and explain different
aspects of your organization whereas Predictive Analytics is used when you need to
know anything about the future and fill the information that you do not know.
A descriptive model will exploit the past data that are stored in databases and
provide you with the accurate report. In a Predictive model, it identifies patterns
found in past and transactional data to find risks and future outcomes.
Descriptive analytics will help an organization to know where they stand in the
market, present facts and figures. Whereas predictive analytics will help an
organization to know, how they will stand in the market in future and forecasts the
facts and figures about the company.
Reports generated by Descriptive analysis are accurate but the reports generated by
Predictive analysis are not 100% accurate it may or may not happen in future.
Predictive Analytics and Descriptive Analytics Comparison Table
Comparing Predictive Analytics and Descriptive Analytics with an example.

A king hired a data scientist to find animals in the forest for hunting. The data
scientist has access to data warehouse, which has information about the forest, its
habitat and what is happening in the forest.

On day one, the data scientist offered the king with a report showing where he
found the highest number of animals in the forest in past one year. This report
helped the king to take a decision on where he can find more animals for hunting.
This is an example of Descriptive Analysis.

Popular Course in this category

Predictive Modeling Training (2 Courses, 15+ Projects)
2 Online Course | 15 Hands-on Projects | 79+ Hours | Verifiable Certificate of
Completion | Lifetime Access
4.7 (7,400 ratings)Course Price
₹6999 ₹34999
View Course
Related Courses
Data Scientist Training (76 Courses, 60+ Projects)Tableau Training (4 Courses, 6+
Projects)Azure Training (5 Courses, 4 Projects, 4 Quizzes)Hadoop Training Program
(20 Courses, 14+ Projects, 4 Quizzes)Data Visualization Training (15 Courses, 5+
Projects)All in One Data Science Bundle (360+ Courses, 50+ projects)
The next day the data scientist identifies the possibility of finding the
particular animal at specific places and time using innovative tools. This is an
example of Predictive Analysis. This helps the king to find the animals easily with
minimal efforts.

Basis for Comparison Descriptive Analytics Predictive Analytics

Describes What happened in the past? By using the stored data. What might happen
in the future? By using the past data and analyzing it.
Process Involved Involves Data Aggregation and Data Mining. Involves
Statistics and forecast techniques.
Definition The process of finding useful and important information by analyzing
the huge data. This process involves in forecasting the future of the company,
which are very useful.
Data Volume It involves in processing huge data that are stored in data warehouses.
Limited to past data. It involves analyzing large past data and then predicts the
future using advance techniques.
Examples Sales report, revenue of a company, performance analysis, etc.
Sentimental analysis, credit score analysis, forecast reports for a company,
etc.
Accuracy It provides accurate data in the reports using past data. Results are
not accurate, it will not tell you exactly what will happen but it will tell you
what might happen in the future.
Approach It allows the reactive approach While this a proactive approach
Conclusion
In this blog, I have specified only a few characteristics difference between
Predictive Analytics and Descriptive Analytics, the result shows that there is an
important and substantial difference between these two Analytical processes.

There is an increase in the demand for analytics in a market. Every organization is

talking about Big Data these days, but it is just a starting point for creating
valuable and actionable insights on the organization’s data. Therefore, the
analytical processes like Predictive Analytics and Descriptive Analytics will help
an organization to identify how the company is performing, where it stands in the
market, any flaws, any issues that need to be taken care and many more. By applying
these analytical processes in business, you will know both Insight and Foresight of
your business.

The important points that need to remember are:

Descriptive analysis is centered around the presentation of data, visualization to

the management sights. While predictive analysis is centered around statistical
model which helps to predict the future.
The predictive analysis has more risk as it involves in analyzing what exactly will
happen in the future based on the past events, but the certain condition may not
happen exactly in the future for the same reason.
In the descriptive analysis, the risk is less as it involves in analyzing the past
data and providing a report of what actually happened.
It is very important for any organization to make use of Predictive Analytics and
Descriptive Analytics so that they can be a successful in the market.