sensitivity analysis

(noun)

the study of how the uncertainty in the output of a mathematical model or system can be apportioned to different sources of uncertainty in its inputs

Related Terms

Examples of sensitivity analysis in the following topics:

  • Sensitivity Analysis

    • Sensitivity analysis determines how much a change in an input will affect the output.
    • Sensitivity analysis is a statistical tool that determines how consequential deviations from the expected value occur.
    • Sensitivity analysis can be useful for a number of reasons, including:
    • The sensitivity analysis entails changing each variable and seeing how that changes the output .
    • Sensitivity analysis determines how much an output is expected to change due to changes in a variable or parameter.

  • Risks Involved in Capital Budgeting

    • One such way is to conduct a sensitivity analysis.
    • Sensitivity analysis is the study of how the uncertainty in the output of a model (numerical or otherwise) can be apportioned to different sources of uncertainty in the model input.
    • A related practice is uncertainty analysis which focuses rather on quantifying uncertainty in model output.
    • Ideally, uncertainty and sensitivity analysis should be run in tandem.
    • Another method is scenario analysis, which involves the process of analyzing possible future events by considering alternative possible outcomes.

  • Crystallographic Analysis

    • Crystallographic analysis reveals the arrangement of atoms in solids that help build the three-dimensional model of molecules.
    • Neutron crystallography is often used to help refine structures obtained by x-ray methods or to solve a specific bond; the methods are often viewed as complementary, as x-rays are sensitive to electron positions and scatter most strongly off heavy atoms, while neutrons are sensitive to nucleus positions and scatter strongly off many light isotopes, including hydrogen and deuterium.
    • The structure-function analysis is completed by biochemical and biophysical studies in solution.
    • The protocol for completing a successful crystallographic analysis requires production of proteins (cloning, mutagenesis, bacterial culture, etc.), purification of recombinant proteins (such as chromatography of affinity and gel filtration), enzymatic tests and inhibition measurement (spectrophotometry), crystallization, x-rays crystallography and structural analysis, interactions determination (microcalorimetry, fluorescence, BIAcore), conformational analyses (circular dichroism, ultracentrifugation, light scattering), modifications analysis (mass spectrometry), bioinformatics, and molecular modelisation.

  • Conducting a Situational Analysis

    • The situation analysis consists of several methods of analysis: The 5Cs, SWOT and Porter's five forces analyses.
    • An analysis on the climate is also known as the PEST analysis.
    • Porter five forces analysis is a framework for industry analysis and business strategy development.
    • The bargaining power of customers is also described as the market of outputs: the ability of customers to put the company under pressure, which also affects the customer's sensitivity to price changes (e.g. firm can implement loyalty program to reduce customers' buying power).
    • A SWOT analysis can be a useful tool in conducting a situational analysis.

  • Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA)

    • Exploratory data analysis is an approach to analyzing data sets in order to summarize their main characteristics, often with visual methods.
    • Exploratory data analysis (EDA) is an approach to analyzing data sets in order to summarize their main characteristics, often with visual methods.
    • Exploratory data analysis was promoted by John Tukey to encourage statisticians to explore the data and possibly formulate hypotheses that could lead to new data collection and experiments.
    • Both of these try to reduce the sensitivity of statistical inferences to errors in formulating statistical models.
    • Exploratory data analysis, robust statistics, and nonparametric statistics facilitated statisticians' work on scientific and engineering problems.

  • Genetic Analysis

    • Genetic analysis is a growing field in microbiology that provides information about specific adaptations and the evolution of organisms.
    • Bacteria possess extra chromosomal genetic elements that encode for antibiotic resistance, toxins, virulence determining genes, and reduced sensitivity to mutagens such as heavy metals.
    • PFGE is essential for estimating the sizes of whole genomes/chromosomes prior to sequencing and is necessary for preparing large DNA fragments for large insert DNA cloning and analysis of subsequent clones.
    • Genetic analysis of microbes allows the characterization of genes implicated in microbial pathogenesis.

  • Phylogenetic Analysis

    • The molecular approach to microbial phylogenetic analysis revolutionized our thinking about evolution in the microbial world.
    • The molecular approach to microbial phylogenetic analysis revolutionized our thinking about evolution in the microbial world.
    • The purpose of phylogenetic analysis is to understand the past evolutionary path of organisms.
    • Multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) represents the novel standard in microbial molecular systematics.
    • This approach is expected to have an increased resolving power due to the large number of characters analyzed and a lower sensitivity to the impact of conflicting signals (i.e. phylogenetic incongruence) that result from eventual horizontal gene transfer events.

  • Analysis of Price Discrimination

    • Coupons attract sensitive consumers to the same product by offering a discount.
    • By using price discrimination, the seller makes more revenue, even off of the price sensitive consumers.

  • Compound Themes

    • Even the most basic analysis also involves interpreting the way that specific chords and progressions function within the context of a phrase.
    • Ultimately, no analysis is complete until individual musical elements are interpreted in light of the work as a whole and the historical setting in which the piece occurs.
    • But this resource simply walks through the steps of performing a basic harmonic analysis, interpreting each chord and chord progression in light of the musical phrase in which it occurs.
    • The first step in a harmonic analysis is to identify phrases.
    • However, not every type of phrase ends with a cadence, so sensitivity to theme types is important.

  • Determine a Course

    • On occasion, decision makers may believe they do not have sufficient information about a particular alternative, so additional analysis may be needed.
    • Decision makers should do their best to minimize their biases, or preconceived ideas about which alternative is preferable, until they complete the analysis.
    • The benefit of using data to support decisions is that when analysis is done correctly it is objective and factual, not based on emotions or subjective preferences.
    • In other words, people are more sensitive to possible risk than to possible gain.