An empirical study comparing model development in discrete-event simulation and system dynamics

Tako, A; Robinson, S

doi:10.1002/9781118762745.ch08

An empirical study comparing model development in discrete-event simulation and system dynamics

Lookup NU author(s): Professor Stewart Robinson ORCiD

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Abstract

© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. All rights reserved.This chapter delves into the comparison of model building in discrete-event simulation (DES) and system dynamics (SD) modelling. An empirical study is undertaken to compare the model development process followed by experts in DES and SD. Verbal protocol analysis (VPA) is used to study the modelling process followed by 10 expert modellers (five SD and five DES). Participants are asked to build simulation models based on a case study and to think aloud while modelling. The generated verbal protocols are divided into seven modelling topics: problem structuring, conceptual modelling, data inputs, model coding, validation and verification, results and experimentation, and implementation; and are then analysed. The quantitative analysis of the verbal protocols shows that all modellers switch between modelling topics. However, DES modellers follow a more linear progression and focus significantly more on model coding and verification and validation, whereas SD modellers focus on conceptual modelling. Observations are also made revealing some interesting differences in the way the two groups of modellers tackle the case. This chapter contributes to the comparison of DES and SD modelling in management decision making by providing empirical evidence with regard to the model development process. It furthermore identifies topics for further research in this area.