INFORMS Teaching of
Management Science
Workshop
Teaching Simulation
Andy Seila University of
Georgia
About Me
Training: OR (not business)
Simulation Courses
Undergrad, MBA, Masters in MS, PhD
Full courses
Module in Man. Science course
Single lecture in specialized course
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About You
In what type of program do you
teach?
Business
Industrial Engineering
OR
Math
Other
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About Your Simulation
Course
In what degree program is your
simulation course taught?
Undergrad
MBA
MS or MA or specialized masters
PhD
Other
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About Your Simulation
Course
What is the length of your
simulation course?
Full Semester
Several weeks
One or two weeks
One or two classes
Other
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About Your Students
What is the probability and
statistics background of your
students?
Prob. and stat, multiple courses
Prob. and stat, one course each
Prob., no stat
Stat, no prob.
None
Other
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What is simulation?
Work in a group of 2 or 3, and write
down a definition or description of
simulation.
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What is simulation?
Simulation: A sampling experiment
done on a (digital) computer.
Has a (stochastic) model.
Requires data analysis.
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Analysis of an Office
Building Project
Goal: sensitivity analysis
What do we want the students to
learn from this example?
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About Your Simulation
Course
Primary goal
Literacy
Build simple models
Develop modeling and problem
solving skills
Learn simulation methodology
Other
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About Your Simulation
Course
Software used
Spreadsheet
With @RISK or Crystal Ball?
With some other add-in?
Just the spreadsheet?
Discrete event simulation package
like Arena
Other
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Poptools
Free set of spreadsheet tools
Random variate generation
http://www.cse.csiro.au/poptools/index.
htm
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A Stochastic Model
Parameters
Decisions
MODEL
Outputs
Random
Variates
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An Example EOQ
Model
This example shows all parts of the modeling,
analysis and decision making processes.
Cost = Ce*(supply demand) if supply > demand
= Cs*(demand supply) if supply <=
demand
Demand ~ Erlang(4, 2)
What is mean cost, given the order quantity?
Model has a solution: F(Q)=Cs/(Ce+Cs)
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Simulation: Topics
Models and modeling
How to create and implement a model.
Random variates and random phenomena
Concepts and sampling methods.
Simulation
How to sample the behavior of the system and do
replications.
Output data analysis
How to estimate performance measures from output
data.
Decision making
Using the estimates to choose decisions.
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Simulation - Topics
Other topics:
Input data analysis
Financial models
Dependent processes (queueing,
inventory, etc.)
Discrete event simulation
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Another Example
Queueing Model
This model shows how to simulate
a random process.
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Discussion Questions
Are students prepared to take the
simulation course?
What background topics should
you cover early in the course?
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Discussion Questions
What is the best order of
presentation?
Cover each technique, then put
them together?
Jump into an application, then
backup and cover the methodology?
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Active Learning
How can we incorporate active
learning in the class?
What types of exercises can be
used?
Students have a spreadsheet
We dont have a way to show each
students work to the class
Google spreadsheets?
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Thank you!
[email protected]
www.terry.uga.edu/~seila/tms2006/
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