A Simulation Methodology Unifying System Dynamics and Business Objects

摘要

In order to encourage the participation of business people in the modelling phase and to abstract business concepts from their simulation complexities the proposed framework combines system dynamics with business objects. The approach eliminates the isolated modelling for simulation and operation and enforces a common business model that accomplishes both. The unification consequently assists in concurrent evolution of the simulation and operational model. Since the simulation model is directly linked to the operational model information collected during systems operation is directly communicated to the simulation model for processing and vice versa. In addition, the integration provides an intuitive interface to the simulation engine based on real world concept. For the unification of business object and system dynamics paradigms, the Powersim constructor and Visual Basic 6.0 are employed. The former is used to construct the system dynamics models and the latter to develop the infrastructure for the business process and business objects. A number of system dynamics co-models are distributed in equal number of business objects each one related to the business aspects that the object represents. Business objects run the various co-models simultaneously and exchange information concerning the simulation through the business object infrastructure. The business rules incorporated in each business object act as navigators for the encapsulated simulation model and the business object itself.