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Visualising forecasting algorithm performance using time series instance spaces

Author

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  • Kang, Yanfei
  • Hyndman, Rob J.
  • Smith-Miles, Kate

Abstract

It is common practice to evaluate the strength of forecasting methods using collections of well-studied time series datasets, such as the M3 data. The question is, though, how diverse and challenging are these time series, and do they enable us to study the unique strengths and weaknesses of different forecasting methods? This paper proposes a visualisation method for collections of time series that enables a time series to be represented as a point in a two-dimensional instance space. The effectiveness of different forecasting methods across this space is easy to visualise, and the diversity of the time series in an existing collection can be assessed. Noting that the diversity of the M3 dataset has been questioned, this paper also proposes a method for generating new time series with controllable characteristics in order to fill in and spread out the instance space, making our generalisations of forecasting method performances as robust as possible.

Suggested Citation

  • Kang, Yanfei & Hyndman, Rob J. & Smith-Miles, Kate, 2017. "Visualising forecasting algorithm performance using time series instance spaces," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 33(2), pages 345-358.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:intfor:v:33:y:2017:i:2:p:345-358
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijforecast.2016.09.004
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    1. Hyndman, Rob J. & Khandakar, Yeasmin, 2008. "Automatic Time Series Forecasting: The forecast Package for R," Journal of Statistical Software, Foundation for Open Access Statistics, vol. 27(i03).
    2. Hyndman, Rob J. & Koehler, Anne B. & Snyder, Ralph D. & Grose, Simone, 2002. "A state space framework for automatic forecasting using exponential smoothing methods," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 18(3), pages 439-454.
    3. Assimakopoulos, V. & Nikolopoulos, K., 2000. "The theta model: a decomposition approach to forecasting," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 16(4), pages 521-530.
    4. Hyndman, Rob J. & Koehler, Anne B., 2006. "Another look at measures of forecast accuracy," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 22(4), pages 679-688.
    5. Makridakis, Spyros & Hibon, Michele, 2000. "The M3-Competition: results, conclusions and implications," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 16(4), pages 451-476.
    6. Maasoumi, Esfandiar & Racine, Jeff, 2002. "Entropy and predictability of stock market returns," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 107(1-2), pages 291-312, March.
    7. Petropoulos, Fotios & Makridakis, Spyros & Assimakopoulos, Vassilios & Nikolopoulos, Konstantinos, 2014. "‘Horses for Courses’ in demand forecasting," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 237(1), pages 152-163.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    M3-Competition; Time series visualisation; Time series generation; Forecasting algorithm comparison;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C52 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Model Evaluation, Validation, and Selection
    • C53 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Forecasting and Prediction Models; Simulation Methods
    • C55 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Large Data Sets: Modeling and Analysis

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