CHAPTER 1Introduction to PerformanceForecasting

It's not just about numbers, and it certainly is not just for geeks. While forecasting is attractive to the more technically minded, the consequences of forecasting impact nearly every human being. All of our friends and all of our families step out into the world each day equipped with the results of multiple forecasts. The classic is the weather forecast. Don't we all look outside when we wake up? Don't we take a quicklook at the weather page (online or offline)? It's something we do without thinking, and it would seem strange—even unnatural—not to have a clue about the day's weather.

Just like a weather forecast, the most valuable forecasts seem natural, normal, andin a way, hidden or unnoticed. ...

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