Vensim

Vensim for Business Simulation for real systems.

Vorteile:

Light weight. Value for money. Easy to use as the toolbars are self explanatory. Can visualize models created.

Nachteile:

You can spend lots of time building. Not mainly used in the industry, but academic.

For system dynamics modeling as a tool for interdisciplinary, mixed methods theory-development

Kommentare: Business problems Big data allows us to have a lot of detail for so many variables. But, just having them doesn't help you make sense of them. System dynamics can help with that. Vensim is one tool to do that. Conceptualization and simulation in Vensim are extremely powerful tools for making sense of data and done right would be superior to AI on many fronts. The state of the art for how to do this can be found in the heads of dozens of skilled modelers around the world. Yeah, dozens. And the software and business processes to make it work probably can't be found in any organization. So, those dozens would be consultants. In other words, computer scientists have perfected the AI thing because it fits their philosophy about systems. But, that philosophy is missing a lot when it comes to social systems, like an organization. Perhaps if a organizaitons were more like gas giant planets, AI would be great. But, because they aren't its not. And Vensim is a perfect embodiment of this situation: it is a little old-fashioned, not easy to learn or use for most of its main purposes. What benefits for me? See pro's above.

Vorteile:

Features * Conceptualization If you are eligible, the PLE version is good for beginners developing a system dynamics style diagram, such as a Causal Loop Diagram, a Policy Structure Diagram or a Stock and Flow Diagram. If you are not eligible for PLE, then it would be because you have paying clients or managers relying on your work. So, you would need another license. I have always had access to the top-level DSS license as a student at my institution. It is a great tool for diagramming. The best features for this are hiding and past as picture which allow you to animate your diagram and to draw it out piece by piece without losing the whole picture. * Simulation The simulation feature is fine. Especially if you have access to a mentor who can help you ensure that your model is well-designed, or you have a background in engineering. The tutorials are useful and could possibly give you that proficiency if you went through them all, but that has not been my experience. Bringing in spreadsheet data is an under-rated feature. Ease of use * Conceptualization As above, this is feature where Vensim shines in comparison with competitors. Spefically, their tools make it very hard to draw out some kinds of diagrams to make them look right for publication. Vensim is the best choice if you are planning on using Causal Loop Diagrams or Policy Structure Diagrams. These visuals are harder to create and modify in competing software. See cons for ease of simulation, integ w proc

Nachteile:

Features * Conceptualization Cons to PLE are that you don't have the hide feature. So, you have to use multiple files to show a diagram in pieces - which is the best practice. Cons to DSS are that you are very limited in how you can link the diagram to evidence that supports your belief in a link or your choice of definition for a variable. You have to do this using "comment" and this is only available for variables, not links. * Simulation Cons to simulation are that the model needs to be done right before it will work at all. So, you can't see what would happen if it were working to see the errors you are making. It just says error. So you have to have a mentor, or time/ability to use the tutorials. I know this sounds like 'hey reviewer, you probably need to read the tutorial'. That may be, but there are other alternatives that do not have this problem and it makes things much easier for many applications, especially by the 99% of non-experts who would be using the software. These people can fix an error incorrectly in Vensim. Ease of use * Simulation Cons as above. Integration with processes * Conceptualization This is where things start to break down for diagramming. The software is really for simulation. Vensim still thinks of diagrams as after-the-fact representations of working simulation models. If you are using visuals before-the-fact, or you want to visualize structure that is not in your model, but you know exists - and you care to document how you know..

Reality Check Tool for Professionals

Kommentare: I worked on Software Reusability Model and predicted the future of software reusability in Ohio, USA by using Vensim Analysis.

Vorteile:

Ability to create Stock and Flow diagrams which are precise and helps in better understanding of a model.

Nachteile:

Dull interface and some of the features are complicated.

Designing the Future

Kommentare: My experience is that when using other products to simulate, I have had to transfer the models to Vensim to be able to build the solutions, due to the lack of tools in other simulators. In addition, Vensim and its partner Ventity perform better in the imitation game.

Vorteile:

It allows to build the simulation models and also analyze them mathematically. The structure fits the facts, while the parameters fit the data. The numerical and functional noise is filtered away.

Nachteile:

The manuals are very brief on the use of software to solve business problems. It is complicated to design solutions because it has very complex tools to dynamically optimize, and allocate resources, Fourier transforms for oscillation propagation, and Kalman filter to attenuate the accumulation of stochastic noise.

Nice but outdated

Kommentare: I used it to work in my masters degree thesis and i had a nice experience. At the end i learned a lot of its tweaks mainly for MacOs. It seems to be one of the best software for system dynamics and has a nice free version but the interface is old and not friendly, one has to click too may times, i believe it requieres a revamp.

Vorteile:

It works and the free version can do basic things. Keeping all inputs ok and tracking errors, as an engineering software it works.

Nachteile:

The graphic engine is outdated and gives trouble, documentation has many inputs but it can be surely improved. Sometimes it crashes in Mac Os. The interface is old and requires a better graphic design to make it attractive. The learning curve is steep.