Capturing Business Complexity with Agent-Based Modeling and Simulation:
Useful, Usable, and Used Techniques

General Description: An intensive business applications-oriented introduction to agent-based modeling and simulation (ABMS) based on Michael North and Charles Macal’s book Managing Business Complexity: Discovering Strategic Solutions with Agent-Based Modeling and Simulation (Oxford 2007). The first half of the course will focus on ABMS concepts from the perspective of company managers and analysts. The second half of the course will focus on ABMS implementation from the perspective of company software developers and will include extensive hands-on exercises. Participants are invited to attend the first session, the second session, or both depending on their interests. Each participant will receive a copy of Managing Business Complexity and break refreshments as part of their course fee.

Format and Topics: An intensive series of lectures and hands-on laboratories are used to introduce the foundational ideas and tools of ABMS and their application to business questions. Topics include the definition of agents, the design and construction of agents, the design and construction of agent environments, understanding of ABMS results, effective presentation of ABMS results, and applications of these core topics to specific examples. A Repast Simphony agent-based supply chain model is discussed in detail. Registrants are asked to provide a paragraph on the ABMS applications they are most interested in to help focus instruction on the issues of greatest relevance to the audience.

Who Should Attend: Three groups should attend the course: managers involved in strategic planning or operations, analysts who design and operate models, and software developers who build models. The course introduces managers to ABMS, shows them how ABMS can be useful to their businesses, and describes how managers can present ABMS results to senior decision makers. Managers should attend the first session of the course. The course gives analysts the principles of ABMS design, discusses the fundamental features of the leading ABMS development tools and how these features affect ABMS design, and teaches them how to present ABMS results to decision makers. Analysts should attend both sessions of the course. The course gives software developers the basic principles of ABMS design and shows how to effectively use the leading ABMS development tools. Software developers should attend both sessions of the course.

Prerequisites and Requirements:There are no prerequisites for the first session. Prerequisites for the second session are a good knowledge of general ABMS concepts and a basic familiarity with programming in any high-level language or spreadsheet.

Course Dates:The course dates are Monday through Friday, May 20–24, 2013.
Session I runs from Monday, May 20, 2013, through the morning of Wednesday, May 22, 2013.
Session II runs from the afternoon of Wednesday, May 22, 2013, though Friday, May 24, 2013.

Course Schedule: View a detailed course schedule for both Session I and Session II.

Course Fees: The course fees are shown below. Each participant will receive a copy of Managing Business Complexity and break refreshments as part of their course fee. Reservations are on a first-come first-serve basis.

Course Location: Building 221 Room B-216. Maps/pictures/directions.

To register: click here.

Course Contact Information

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