About the Scenario in This Book

This book presents a basic data mining example that is intended to familiarize you with many features of SAS Enterprise Miner. In this example, you learn how to perform tasks that are required to build and run a process flow in order to solve a particular business problem. You should follow the chapters and the steps within the chapters in the order in which they are presented.

For the purpose of the scenario in this book, you are a data analyst at a national charitable organization. Your organization seeks to use the results of a previous postcard mail solicitation for donations to better target its next one. In particular, you want to determine which of the individuals in your mailing database have characteristics similar to those of your most profitable donors. By soliciting only these people, your organization can spend less money on the solicitation effort and more money on charitable concerns.

When you have finished building the process flow diagram as outlined in this example, the diagram will resemble the one shown below: