Evaluation of Clustering Validity
Ghayda A.A. Al-Talib, Rudhwan Yousif Sideek · Maǧallaẗ al-rāfidayn li-ʿulūm al-ḥāsibāt wa-al-riyāḍiyyāẗ/Al-Rafidain journal for computer sciences and mathematics · 2008
Clustering is a mostly unsupervised procedure and the majority of the clustering algorithms depend on certain assumptions in order to define the subgroups present in a data set. As a consequence, in most applications the resulting clustering scheme requires some sort of evaluation as regards its validity. In this paper, we present a clustering validity procedure, which evaluates the results of clustering algorithms on data sets. We define a validity indexes, S_Dbw & SD, based on well-defined clustering criteria enabling the selection of the optimal input parameters values for a clustering algorithm that result in the best partitioning of a data set. We evaluate the reliability of our indexes experimentally, considering clustering algorithm (K_Means) on real data sets. Our approach is performed favorably in finding the correct number of clusters fitting a data set.