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In this article five simulation practitioners discuss a number of critical issues facing a person who is trying to use simulation to design a new system or to improve the performance of an existing system. Those practitioners include John Carson, Carson/Banks Associates; Earl L. Cowley, General Motors Corp.; Jerry G. Fox and Stephen K. Halladin, Boeing Commercial Airplanes; and Kenneth J. Musselman, Pritsker Corp. Carson and Musselman are consultants, while Cowley, Fox and Halladin are major users of simulation at companies that employ this technology.
The questions discussed in this article were chosen by the discussants and the author (based on our collective years of simulation modeling experience) as being both important and of general interest. One of the questions--how to determine the level of model detail--is, perhaps, the single most difficult methodological issue confronting an analyst trying to model a large, complex system. If there is not enough detail in the model, then it will probably be invalid and produce erroneous results. On the other hand, an overly detailed model may result in missed deadlines and in excessive computer execution time or memory requirements. Two additional questions address the ingredients for overall project success and how to collect good information/data on the system of interest. Finally, the discussants give their views on where the field of simulation modeling is headed in the next three years.
What are the most important ingredients for a successful simulation project?
CARSON: The first key is effective communication between the model developer and the client's staff, including those working on behalf of the client. The client's staff who may have knowledge of some aspect of the system being simulated include engineers, supervisors, workers, maintenance people and management. For new systems and retrofits of existing systems, those working on the client's behalf may include systems integrators, controls engineers and equipment manufacturers.
The second key is management support and commitment. Simulation may require a major effort and should be undertaken only if the potential benefits justify the effort, and management is willing to commit the necessary resources.
The third key is the skills of the team put together to do the project. These include the model developer and a client liaison, whose job it is to ferret out the person...