Ayush Agarwal

14135

Group D

Multidimensional scaling (MDS) is a set of related statistical techniques often used in information visualization for exploring similarities or dissimilarities in data. It is often used in Marketing to identify key dimensions underlying customer evaluations of products, services and companies.

MDS pictures data sets that approximate the distances between the pairs of objects. The data are called similarities, dissimilarities, distances or proximities must reflect the amount of dissimilarity between pairs.

Perceptual mapping is a diagrammatic technique used by asset marketers that attempt to visually display the perceptions of customers or potential customers. Perceptual maps are sometimes called product maps, sociograms, sociometric maps, psychometric maps, stimulus-response diagrams, relationship maps, concept maps, etc. A perceptual map is a piece of paper, or any plane, with symbols on it that convey information about perceived relationships between the objects represented by the symbols.

Perceptual mapping involves two steps: 

(1) Data collection and;

(2) Data analysis and presentation.

Example of a data set:

Title=Distance

nObjects=4

DissimilarityList

Delhi         0           

Mumbai    1200    0       

Kolkata     1300    1700    0   

Chennai    1800    1000    1400    0

The data can also be filled in the whole matrix but not in the top half matrix alone. The Similarity/Dissimilarity list is decided by the proximity information.

This tool is useful in giving a visual depiction of the factors and as such would make it easier for a user to comprehend the data.