Why modelling matters

There has been an explosive growth in the capabilities of discrete simulation software in the last 20 years. There is no doubt that simulation software is much easier to use and is also much more powerful than it was. Some of this improvement has been driven by advances in computer hardware and software and some by demands from users. But amid all the hype about better, faster and more powerful tools, one thing hasn¿t changed - the need to develop sensible models. These models need to be fit for purpose and this means, in most cases, that they help someone to understand or improve the system being simulated - if it needs to be simulated. This in turn means that the models must be developed in an appropriate timescale and have a form that makes analysis as straightforward as possible. The presentation will consider different forms of model use and relate these to what we know about model building. It may also be fun.