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What are some common pitfalls in feature engineering for time series data in machine learning?
Asked on Jan 02, 2026
Answer
Feature engineering for time series data involves transforming raw data into a format that machine learning models can understand, but there are several common pitfalls to be aware of. These include issues like ignoring temporal dependencies or failing to handle missing values properly.
Example Concept: In time series feature engineering, one common pitfall is not accounting for the temporal order of data. Unlike static datasets, time series data is sequential, and features must be engineered to respect this order. For instance, using future data to predict past events can lead to data leakage. Another issue is not addressing seasonality and trends, which can skew model predictions if not properly managed. Additionally, failing to handle missing values or outliers can result in inaccurate models.
Additional Comment:
- Ensure that features respect the chronological order to avoid data leakage.
- Consider using lag features to incorporate past information into the model.
- Handle missing values appropriately, as they can disrupt the sequence.
- Detect and adjust for seasonality and trends to improve model accuracy.
- Be cautious with feature scaling, as it can affect the model's performance on time series data.
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