Optimize Statistics Key Configuration

For accurate estimations of activity and travel durations, it is important that the activity and travel duration keys are configured in such a manner that key values thus generated are neither too specific nor too broad. If the key values are too specific, the system will not have enough reported data to estimate durations for each key value. On the other hand, if the key values are too broad, the accuracy of the estimations may be compromised.

For example, if the configured travel key generates travel key values that are too specific, each travel key value will end up covering only a small geographical area. This would lead to a situation where there would be too few activity locations in each travel key, resulting in very little reported data between different pairs of travel keys. The system would take a considerably longer time to generate accurate travel estimations between all different pairs of travel keys and would also use the default travel duration very often since there wouldn't be sufficient activity locations and reported travel data for each travel key.

On the other hand, if the configured travel key is too broad, then each travel key value covers a large geographical area. This will result in a huge variation in reported travel data from one travel key to another. This variation will affect the overall accuracy of the travel estimations.

The same can also be said about activity duration keys if they are too specific or too broad.

Administrators will now be notified if the configured activity or travel duration keys are either too specific or too broad to provide accurate duration estimations. If the configured keys are found to be generating keys that are too specific or too broad, a banner message will be displayed on the main configuration screen. Clicking on the 'Configure' button will take the user to the Statistics configuration screen where the user can modify the keys appropriately.

A similar banner will also be displayed within the Statistics configuration screen.

NOTE: The check to determine if the configured keys are too specific or too broad will be done as part of the daily statistics calculations automatically or if the administrator chooses to apply the configuration changes manually from the Statistics configuration screen.

More details about the corrective actions will be displayed right below the configured keys.

NOTE: The check to determine if the key is too specific or too broad will be done only for the 'Active' Activity duration key. The inactive ones will not be checked.

In addition, the administrator who last modified the key will also get a notification in the notification tab informing about configured keys being sub-optimal.

Conditions for key to be considered sub-optimal

Activity duration key

• The active Activity duration key will be considered to be too broad if it generates five (5) or fewer unique activity duration key values and also shows very high variations in reported durations for the activities belonging to the same key value.
• The key will be considered to be too specific if more than 40% of activities do not have enough reported data (at least 25 activities) for the key they belong to.

Travel duration key

• A Travel duration key will be considered to be too broad if more than 40% of activities use keys that are very large (greater than 200 sq km/75 sq mi).
• A Travel duration key will be considered to be too specific if more than 40% of activities use keys that do not have enough reported data (at least 15 activities) for the key they belong to.

Business Benefit

• Easily identify if the configured key is not good enough to generate accurate and meaningful results.
• Perform corrective actions based on suggestions provided by the system.
• Ensure good quality of duration keys thereby ensuring more accurate activity and travel duration estimations.

Steps to Enable

You don't need to do anything to enable this feature.

Tips And Considerations

• As soon as a notification saying that the configured key is sub-optimal, ensure that corrective actions are taken based on the suggestions and modify the keys accordingly.