Software

Latest version of SPSS Inc.'s data mining workbench aims to boost productivity ClementineŽ 7.0 offers process support enhancements and a more flexible interface to shorten time to solution

Chicago, IL, September 12, 2002 - Data miners and analysts are pressed to deliver the greatest data mining value in the least amount of time. This fact was of foremost importance in the development of the latest version of ClementineŽ, the market-leading data mining workbench from SPSS Inc. (Nasdaq: SPSS). Clementine 7.0 builds on its interactive, visual approach to data mining with additional process support and a new architecture and interface that enable data miners to produce high-quality results more quickly and efficiently.

A key new feature of Clementine 7.0, which is now shipping worldwide, is built-in guidance for CRISP-DM (CRoss Industry Standard Process for Data Mining). The CRISP-DM help system and project tools in Clementine 7.0 enable data miners to quickly organize streams, graphs and other output into CRISP-DM phases. The new version further supports the data mining process with project management tools and includes automated building and validation of Clementine Language for Expression Manipulation (CLEM).

"With CRISP-DM support built into Clementine, data miners can now work more effectively and get their solution more quickly," said Ruediger Wirth, manager-data mining, DaimlerChrysler. "This new version clearly demonstrates Clementine's open, best-of -breed approach to data mining."

Another key feature of Clementine 7.0 is a newly designed user interface that enhances fluency of operation and ease-of-use. The new user interface includes greater ability to manage output, such as graphs, models and "streams" - visual maps of the data mining process. Data miners can now work with multiple streams concurrently and manage the complexity of streams using improved facilities to combine related nodes. Clementine's new interface also enables data miners to import text files more easily using a new preview pane. In addition to increased process support and a more productive interface, Clementine 7.0 features a new graphics engine that enhances the presentation quality of graphics and enable multidimensional visualization. Data miners can now select from 3-D, panel, animation and other effects for new ways to explore and present multidimensional data. New graphing technologies allow for customizable, presentation- quality graphs that are easy to share in other applications. A graphical tree browser lets users explore and understand decision trees. Extensive support has been added to Clementine 7.0 to make it accessible to a variety of users, including those with disabilities. The new version also features tools that facilitate deployment of data mining models to operational systems, and make it simple to import data mining tasks (such as model refresh and republishing) from other applications. PMML model export and server-based batch execution and scripting enhancements are among the new features.

"In a fiercely competitive environment, data miners need to be confident that they can deploy an effective, profitable solution as rapidly as possible," said Peter Caron, Clementine product manager. "Clementine 7.0 was developed to reflect how data miners work. Enhancements to the visual environment, process support, presentation and results, and deployment and automation were made to boost data miners' productivity more powerfully than ever."

Additional information about Clementine is at www.spss.com/clementine.