History

Relentless progress since 1964

Simulators >>> Less programming

Mainframes >>> Laptops

Animation

Range of applications

Flowcharting

Optimisation

Project & portfolio management

Challenges

Cost (not ROI)

Time

Data collection (& analysis)

Advantages

Complexity

Dynamic

Variability

Animation

Our Objective?

Finding the (optimal) answer

AND…

Our Objective?

Finding the answer

AND

Learning about the system (and ourselves)

Our Objective?

Peter Senge (1990) – The Fifth Discipline:The Art & Practice of the Learning Organization

Learning underlies our ability to change

Not new – Argyris, deGeus

One person not enough (a Ford, Sloan or Watson)

Knowledge management

Learning Organizations - Elements

Prisoners of our own thinking and experience

Our behavior not consistent with our theories

Mental models or “theories in use”

Tacit (below the surface)

Einstein: Our theories determine what we measure

Learning Organizations

Organizations that are able to change

Change requires organizational development

Overlooked (team building/cooperation)

Force mental models into the open – expose assumptions

A New Look at Simulation

Learning tool (“80% of the value” Pritsker)

Foster understanding, participation, dialogue

5 LevelsTeaching new processesTeaching new conceptsFacilitating participationEmpowering peopleExpert-Local interaction

Teaching New Processes

Teaching New Concepts

Enabling Participation

Empowering People (Covey: Voice)

Building Shared Vision

Taking a step back – process focus

(“No, the decision process”)

City Design

Land Use Decisions

Visualization >>> simulation (advantages)

Progress comes through…

“…getting out of our boxes.” Arbinger Inst.

Serious consideration for the input of others

“…that’s what I have been trying to tell you.”

Progress comes through…

“…getting out of our boxes.” Arbinger Inst.

Serious consideration for the input of others

“…that’s what I have been trying to tell you.”

Progress comes through…

“…getting out of our boxes.” Arbinger Inst.

Serious consideration for the input of others

“…that’s what I have been trying to tell you.”

A Cool Tool

Nagel “emancipatory operations research”

Mueller-Merbach – interdisciplinary teamsOR is about integrating knowledge

Inform, enlighten

Building Shared Vision

Taking a new look at the process

Get the answer

Implementing the answer

Building the organization

Simulation and the Learning Organization

Questions???

robb@promodel.com