What Is Prescriptive Analytics?
Prescriptive análisis goes beyond predicción to recommend specific actions. Learn how it helps businesses decide what to do, not just what might happen.
Key Takeaways
- Prescriptive análisis recommends specific actions to take based on prediccións, constraints, and business objectives.
- It sits at the top of the análisis maturity curve: descriptive (what happened), predictive (what will happen), prescriptive (what should we do).
- It uses optimización algoritmos, simulación, and decision modelling to evaluate multiple possible actions and select the best one.
Beyond predicción
Predictive análisis tells you that demand for a product will likely increase by 20% next month. Prescriptive análisis goes further: given that predicción, your current inventario levels, proveedor lead times, and budget constraints, it recommends pedidoing 500 additional units from Supplier A by next Tuesday and increasing your advertising spend by 15% on the product
How it works
Prescriptive análisis combines predictive models with optimización algoritmos. It defines an objective (maximise beneficio, minimise costo, reduce waste), identifies constraints (budget, capacity, time), evaluates multiple possible actions through simulación, and recommends the option that best achieves the objective within the constraints. Linear programming, Monte Carlo simulación, and reinforcement learning are common techniques used in prescriptive systems.
Real-world applications
Supply chain optimización determines the most costo-effective way to move goods from proveedors to clientes. Dynamic pricing adjusts prices in real time based on demand, competition, and inventario levels. Workforce scheduling assigns personal to shifts that match predicted demand while respecting labour regulations. For African logística companies navigating complex multi-modal transport networks, análisis prescriptivo can optimise routes across road, rail, and water transport simultaneously.
When análisis prescriptivo makes sense
Prescriptive análisis delivers the highest value when decisions are complex, repetitive, and have measurable outcomes. If your business makes hundreds of pricing, inventario, or routing decisions daily, automation through prescriptive models can significantly outperform human judgement. It requires mature data infrastructure and confidence in your predictive models. Most businesses should master descriptive and análisis predictivo before investing in prescriptive capabilities.