Cluster Interpretation: Tornado Diagram

Background & Context

On this page, we present the Tornado Diagram for cluster interpretation as an alternative to Most Relevant Explanations for Cluster Interpretation.
To provide further context for Most Relevant Explanations for Cluster Interpretation, we compare several other approaches that can help interpret individual Clusters:
- Setting Evidence for Cluster Interpretation: Posterior Distributions, Relationship with Target Node, Mosaic Analysis, Posterior Mean Analysis, Segment Profile Analysis, Histograms, Tornado Diagrams,
- Optimization for Cluster Interpretation: Dynamic Profile, Target Optimization Tree
More specifically, we compare all these approaches with regard to characterizing the state Cluster 3 of the Cluster Node in the reference network.
All analyses and instructions on this page refer to this reference network, which you can download here:
MaleClusters.xbl

To start Tornado Diagrams, select Main Menu > Visual > Target > Target's Posterior > Total Effects.
The Tornado Diagram window opens up and presents an overview of all Clusters:
Given our interest in Cluster 3, we select the corresponding tab in the window.
Each manifest node is associated with blue horizontal bar that visualizes the impact that node can have with regard to the membership in Cluster 3.
Starting with the top node, 6 - Forearm Girth, we see that its value range can reduce the probability of membership in Cluster 3 to 0%, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, increase probability of membership in Cluster 3 to 42.857%.
Among all nodes, it has the biggest sway over membership in Cluster 3.
At the bottom end, 10 - Knee Girth, appears to have the least impact on membership in Cluster 3. It can only change the membership probability by 10 percentage points.
For reference, the gray, dashed vertical line indicates the a priori probability of membership in Cluster 3, i.e., 12.96%.
With this reference point, we can see the upside and downside potential of a node. For instance, 5 - Waist Girth, can bring the Cluster 3 membership probability down to 0%, but only lift it 5 percentage points beyond the a priori probability of 12.96%.