Our Approach

Our simulation projects typically begin with our project team attending kickoff meetings with client key personnel to collaboratively define the solution objectives, scope, assumptions, data requirements and specifications, and business rules.

Developing the design document is the single most important task, as it defines and dictates all technical work we perform and serves as a mutually accepted agreement of the technical requirements that the solution will fulfill.

We work with client key personnel to collect the data required to drive the simulation. The required data are defined during the design document phase, and consist of the data necessary to capture all important components of the system at an appropriate level of detail. Data may be collected from client IT systems such as ERP and/or MES software, client-maintained spreadsheets or databases, or from client competency leads.

We then thoroughly review and analyze the data to ensure it is complete, valid, and aligned with the design specifications. We communicate any erroneous or invalid data for resolution, and repeat this process until all data is complete and valid. Data collection and analysis may continue into and be performed in parallel with solution development and validation.

Once the design document is completed and sufficient data has been collected, we develop custom simulation solutions that address the objectives, assumptions, and logic defined in the design document.

Solutions that evaluate existing systems may be validated by comparing outcomes from the real system to solution results for the same scenario. If the solution results are sufficiently consistent with the outcomes observed in reality, the solution is deemed valid and results from alternative scenarios can be trusted. Solutions that evaluate proposed systems are validated by sharing outcomes for a given scenario with client competency leads and obtaining stakeholder approval.

Once the solution has been validated, it can be used to answer almost any what-if question through experimentation, and optimization can be used to determine the best operating policies and procedures.

Once the solution is validated, we can begin using it to conduct sensitivity analyses, experiments, and optimization to address client objectives. These analyses may be used to determine the equipment or staffing levels required to meet projected demand, or determine recommended operating policies for meeting certain performance objectives under existing system conditions. Countless types of analyses can be performed with our simulation solutions.

We document all pertinent results and key takeaways gleaned during the solution development and experimentation phases. We often gain valuable insights into the dynamics of the underlying system during solution development that were not originally considered. We document these insights to facilitate the understanding of project stakeholders.

We also document all pertinent results generated by the analyses, experiments, and optimizations conducted to address the stated project objectives, as well as the associated key takeaways and recommendations. Once the solution documentation is complete, we meet with project stakeholders to present the results and key takeaways of the simulation project.

Our simulation projects may include deploying the simulation solution as an operational tool for active decision making. This is a core component of all scheduling projects, but may also be important for other applications. Deploying the solution may involve integration with client IT systems, or simply training client key personnel to utilize the solution for recurring decisions.

We provide several options for deploying our solutions. Clients may elect to access and use the solution as a desktop application or via a web-based portal. Our solutions can also be configured to run interactively or in the background (i.e., headlessly) depending on specific needs and requirements. The solution may also be configured to run automatically any time data is extracted from client IT systems.

Our simulation projects may include optional training. We train client personnel to update and use the solution to perform independent analyses. Training may include drafting or updating instructional documentation, such as a model user guide, which explains how to update model input data, options, and parameters in order to evaluate alternative system configurations and conduct analyses and/or experiments.

We may also conduct interactive training sessions with key project stakeholders to demonstrate how to update and run the solution and analyze results. These interactive training sessions may be recorded and provided to the client for ongoing use.