Target
The accuracy each training attempt aims for. This is the one that matters. If your dataset came from Feature Refinery, use the value it carries. The refinement measured what the cleaned data can actually reach. The console pre-fills it; over the API, readrecommendedThreshold off the dataset and send it as performanceThreshold.
If you uploaded your own split, there is no measured value, so you are choosing. Start at
something the data plausibly supports and move from there. On hard, imbalanced problems that is
often 0.7 to 0.8, not 0.95.
Lower target, faster run, weaker model. Higher target, slower run, and past a point, no model at
all. Move it in steps of 0.01 to 0.02 and re-run; runs are cheap.
Buckets
How finely the data is split for the internal cross-validation. More buckets means more thorough validation and a longer run. In Feature Refinery you choose 4, 10 or 20. Start at 10. Go to 20 on a wide or subtle dataset where you want the column decisions to be more reliable, and accept the extra time. Go to 4 on very small data, or to get a first answer quickly. On a dataset the slider goes from 4 to 1000. A dataset built from a refinement inherits the bucket count the refinement ran at, and it cannot be changed: the refined files were produced at that setting. Rough guidance when you are choosing yourself:Scaling
An internal parameter of the training algorithm, between 8 and 499. 19 is the working default and covers nearly every case. Change it only after target and buckets have been tried, and change it in large steps rather than small ones. If a value works better on your data, it will be obvious.When a run disappoints
A working method
- Refine first. Let the run measure the target.
- Train with that target and the defaults.
- Look at the candidates table, not just the champion. Pick on the metric your problem cares about.
- If you want more, move the target by 0.01 to 0.02 and run again. Compare false decisions.
- Only then touch scaling.
See it applied
The German Credit walkthrough, including the target that came out of refinement.