  Mixed data comprises both numeric and categorical features, and mixed
datasets occur frequently in many domains, such as health, finance, and
marketing. Clustering is often applied to mixed datasets to find structures and
to group similar objects for further analysis. However, clustering mixed data
is challenging because it is difficult to directly apply mathematical
operations, such as summation or averaging, to the feature values of these
datasets. In this paper, we present a taxonomy for the study of mixed data
clustering algorithms by identifying five major research themes. We then
present a state-of-the-art review of the research works within each research
theme. We analyze the strengths and weaknesses of these methods with pointers
for future research directions. Lastly, we present an in-depth analysis of the
overall challenges in this field, highlight open research questions and discuss
guidelines to make progress in the field.
