tmle3: Implementing Frameworks, Not Algorithms

This is an introductory lecture on the tmle3 framework for Targeted Learning.

Abstract

Too often our software implementations of Targeted Learning are tied to a specific parameter or data structure or both. The tlverse seeks to resolve this by implementing the general Targeted Learning framework instead of a specific instantiation of it. Using the example of TMLE for treatment specific means, we'll talk through a classic approach to implementation, and contrast it with the approach used in tmle3.