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

Introduction to model buildingSimilarities and differences to spreadsheetsFive statement types used in creating modelsSample of functions in Forio SimulateHow to use the Model Explorer to test modelsArray range basicsThe biggest mistake that new modelers make

Throughout the workshop, we’ll use real examples

A simulation is like a spreadsheet optimized for solving problems that occur over time

"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.

Energy Efficiency = Higher Productivity

Higher Productivity =Lower Implicit Price

Lower Implicit Price =Higher Demand

There are only five statement types in a Forio Simulate model:

V is a Variable

D is a Decision

M is a Model-wide property

P is a Property of a variable or decision

R is a Range

A variable can be either a constant or an equation:

V Initial Size = 17

V Average Size = Initial Size V Yearly Spending on Electricity =  Price of kWh Electricity *  Average Refrigerator Size *  kWh Electricity Consumed per Cubic Foot

ABS - Absolute valueCEILING - Round UpFLOOR - Round downROUND - RoundINT - IntegerFRAC - Fractional part of a numberMOD - ModulusSAFEDIV0 - Return 0 if divisor is 0MAX - Maximum valueMIN - Minimum vale

IF - ConditionalREMEMBER - Store value when condition is trueLOOKUP – Look up a value from a list

HIVAL - Finds the highest value during a sim runLOVAL - Finds the lowest value during a sim runPREVIOUS - The value from the previous step

STEP = Current Step (always starts at 0)TIME = Current Time

RAND - Uniform random numberRANDBETWEEN - Random number between two valuesNORMAL - Normally distributed random numberEXPRND - Exponential distribution random numberLOGNORMAL - Log-normal distributionPOISSON - Poisson distribution

Sample functions that work in Forio Simulate

A decision is a number that the user of the simulation can enter or change:

D kWh Electricity Consumed per Cubic Foot = 1239 / Initial Refrigerator Size

D Price of kWh Electricity = 0.11

Model-wide properties set the default properties for all variables and decisions:

M StartTime = 2010M EndTime = 2020M InitialSteps = 2M ExecuteDecisionImmediately = TRUEM NumberFormat = #,##0.00

Concepts taught during today’s class

Similarities and differences to spreadsheets

Five statement types used in creating models

Variables

Decisions

Model-wide properties

variable and decision Properties

Ranges

Sample of functions in Forio Simulate

How to use the Model Explorer to test models

Array range basics

The biggest mistake that new modelers make

Single biggest mistake that new modelers make:

Writing too many equations before testing.

You should test your model in the model explorer after every one or two new equations or model changes.

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.

What’s next?

Advanced array functions

State functions

Games versus planning tools

Locating and solving model errors

We’ll continue building our model of Jevon’s paradox.

Resources to help you

forio.com/simulate

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