Annotating Nodes in IBM SPSS Modeler

To improve your experience using IBM SPSS Modeler, the Version 1 SPSS experts have created various Tech Tips. This Tech Tip shows annotating nodes in IBM SPSS Modeler. 

IBM SPSS Modeler is an extensive predictive analytics platform designed to bring predictive intelligence to decisions made by individuals, groups, systems, and the enterprise. Modeler has an easy-to-use drag-and-drop user interface with a complete set of tools for accessing data, data examination, preparation, modelling, evaluation, and deployment.  

IBM SPSS Modeler users have a complete toolset to build predictive models from start to finish. Modeler uses node-based, visual programming. Users pick nodes from palettes and place them on the stream canvas. Once nodes have been placed on the stream canvas and edited, they can be linked to form a stream. A stream represents a flow of data through several operations (nodes) to a destination that can be in the form of output (either text or chart), a model, or the export of data to another format (e.g., a database).  

Given the breadth of tasks that can be completed in Modeler, organisation, highlighting, and labelling are critical. Modeler provides tools to annotate nodes, highlight sections of streams, and insert information and comments.  

Annotating nodes in Modeler is especially useful. For example, we have several monthly data files whose names do not indicate the specific month. To clarify, we can annotate each file with the month’s name. For example, a data file named ‘month_data’ is from May. We can click on the Annotations tab on the source data node and provide the name ‘Response Data May’. This annotation quickly and correctly labels the data source and indicates the specific period for this data file. Source nodes can be annotated along with any other node in the stream.