Figure 1.

The phases of CoOL towards inference to the best explanation

(a) Pre-computational phase: scoping the research question and causal structure assumptions. (b) Computational phase: (i) A non-negative model as close to the assumed causal model is fitted, (ii) risk contributions are decomposed and (iii) individuals are clustered into subgroups. (iv) Manual validation of the results is suggested in an internal validation data set to assess the stability of the results. (c) Post-computational phase: the results are held against existing evidence in order to develop new hypotheses that can be tested in new studies. New understandings will update our initial assumed causal model