Web simulation development fundamentals using Forio Simulate

Michael Bean

Forio Business Simulations

In six hours over six weeks, you’ll know the fundamentals of building a web simulation

Model BuildingWeek 1: Introduction to model building Week 2: Intermediate model building 

Interface DesignWeek 3: Basic user interface design Week 4: Intermediate interface design 

Advanced ConceptsWeek 5: Multi-player games Week 6: Game design and project management 

What we will discuss today

Intermediate model buildingLocating and solving model errorsDefining model scopeState functionsSystem dynamicsAdvanced array functions

Throughout the workshop, we’ll use real examples

"It is a confusion of ideas to suppose that the economical use of fuel is equivalent to diminished consumption. The very contrary is the truth."

Jevons argued that improvements in fuel efficiency tend to increase, rather than decrease, fuel use.

Challenges for the coming week

Try extending this model to include a third array element such as a dishwasher.

Try to include the price per kWh into the refrigerator size calculation.

Start on your own model.

Energy Efficiency = Higher Productivity

Higher Productivity =Lower Implicit Price

Lower Implicit Price =Higher Demand

Defining model scopeWhat length of time should a model simulate?

Answer 1:Long enough to demonstrate the key behavior

TIME

Key

beh

avio

r

Defining model scopeHow long to demonstrate the key behavior?

Restocking ATMs with Cash

Temperature of coffee in a cup

Deforestation

Hiring sales people at a company

Residents of a city

Electric vehicle sales

iPad Sales

Refrigerator sales

Defining model scopeHow long to demonstrate the key behavior?

Restocking ATMs with Cash

Temperature of coffee in a cup

Deforestation

Hiring sales people at a company

Residents of a city

Electric vehicle sales

iPad Sales

Refrigerator sales

10 – 30 Days

10 – 120 Minutes

5 – 100 Years

8 – 52 weeks

5 – 250 Years

5 – 50 Years

2 – 5 Years

10 – 50 Years

Spent nuclear fuel time horizon

10,000 years

Defining model scopeWhat length of time should a model simulate?

Answer 2:Short enough to keep your audience engagedManagers

Citizens

Farmers

State Governors

Environmentalists

Defining model scopeHow much detail should you model?

Answer:We will discuss this in week 6.

System Dynamics: behavior caused feedback and delays

Refrigerators

RetiredRefrigerators

Time Delay

Where to learn more:Road Maps Series from Creative Learning Exchange (free)

Book: Business Dynamics: Systems Thinking and Modeling for a Complex World ($75 - $150)

18 State Functions Available in Forio Simulate

ACCUM

ACCUMPERIOD

DELAY

DERIVN

ENDTIME

FORECAST

HIVAL

INITIAL

LOVAL

PREVIOUS

PULSE

RAMP

REMEMBER

SAMPLE

SMOOTH

STOCK

TIMECYCLE

TREND

You know enough to keep learning on your own

Challenges for the coming week

What do you do if the length of time to demonstrate the key behavior is greater than the time your audience cares about?

Change the model to assume people will only increase but never decrease the size of their appliances

Change the model to account for population growth and the growth of new appliances due to population growth

What’s next?

Basic User Interface DesignPlanning tools vs. gamesGame variables vs. setup variablesCreating tables and graphsCopying results to ExcelControlling the simulation

We’ll build a user interface for our model of Jevon’s paradox.

Resources to help you

forio.com/simulate

Email will be sent to you containing:Link to presentationLink to appliance longevity dataLink to online Road Maps courseLink to view and copy model

Need help with your model? Ask us questions on the help forum.

Search old questions or online documentation