Use of Portable Microcomputer as a Data Collection Tool to Support Integrated Simulation Support Environments: A Concept

摘要

While an integrated simulation environment provides a more organized structure for managing and performing simulation projects, and provides a database management structure for storing, manipulating, and analyzing data, they do not address the actual process of going out and obtaining the data. As a result, many of the common problems associated with poor problem and system definition, and low quality model input data, may still occur. To solve this problem, this study examines the concept of developing a 'support-support' system; a portable microcomputer with software tools designed to support collection of the data, both subjective and objective, required in a simulation study. This data can then be ported into the integrated support system for analysis and model development. In developing this concept, the simulation process is better defined using structured analysis diagrams. Based on this analysis the functions that a support-support system could best accomplish are identified and a conceptual specification developed. An implementation strategy is proposed which is based on the use of readily available software tools, such as dBASE III, and the use of a simple programming language, such as BASIC. To demonstrate how this strategy can be implemented, a BASICA program was developed to support model input data collection. Using a graphic display to define input data requirements and single key inputs, this program should maximize the time an analyst can spend observing the system and minimize the time he/she has to spend entering data. (fr)