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The roles of Simulation models in design projects

Innovation Studies Centre

Imperial College Business School

Outcome so far:The simulation model can be used as a boundary and epistemic object if it

functions effectively as a representation object. This role seems to be the

key to help participants understand, learn and construct a model that helps

predict and plan systemic changes to solve healthcare problems, only if the

group is committed to the project objective and there is a learning goal

embedded in the project process.

Steffen Bayer (Imperial College, HaCIRIC)

Sally Brailsford (Southampton)

Tim Bolt – (Southampton)

Maria Kapsali – (Imperial- HaCIRIC + Design London )

Explore the roles of simulation models in the interfaces between experts during design projects

Simulation Model

Participant Expert

Modeller

User

Client

Research questions

1.How project participants

engage with models

during the process of

designing a model?

2.Which role(s) the model

takes during the

process of its own

design?

3.Do these roles benefit

the design process and

participants?

Simulation model roles:

• Boundary object (communicate)

• Representation object (represent, picture)

• Epistemic object (learn, experiment. develop)

• Technical object (plan, predict, test)

Bruce Tether (Imperial College,)