Which type of analytics describes past performance and trends?

Descriptive analytics is fundamentally focused on analyzing historical data and providing insights into past performance and trends. It involves summarizing data from the past to understand what has happened and identify patterns or trends over time. This type of analytics typically employs statistical methods and data visualization techniques to present information, making it easier for decision-makers to grasp historical performance.

For instance, a business might use descriptive analytics to review sales data from the previous year to assess growth or decline and understand the factors that contributed to those results. This kind of analysis is crucial for setting a baseline for performance and guiding future strategies based on historical outcomes.