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Visual ModelsSome members of our team have over 30 years experience in the development of decision analysis systems. As a result of this experience we have learned to appreciate the importance of communuication in understanding customer issues as well as in assisting customers code their decision needs and preferences into a functional decision analysis model in a transparent fashion. One of the most effective ways to establish a high level of transparency is to make use of decision analysis models which make all relevant details explicit.
No Black Boxes One of the factors leading to our adoption of Vanguard Systems decision analysis technologies is that they also value clarity of exposition of models. Thus rather than make use of spreadsheets or linear descriptions, Vanguard Systems have always used a chain or tree structure within which functional nodes are connected by input and output links. This enables the building of simple through to the most complex decision analysis models. Users can navigate from node to node, check data status and alter the functional content of nodes at will.
Nodes with uncertain functionality can appear in some models and the way in which model results compare with real outcomes can provide important indications of the significance and the functional contribution of "unknowns". Thus the aim is always to try and eliminate "black boxes" from models so as to maximise transparency. It is this level of interaction and visibility of the model and outcomes during the model building phase, undertaken in collaboration with customers, which led to our adoption of the name VisualModel. The operation and output of such models can be simulated within the authoring system and the script output is main-server-compatible and ready-to-run without a hitch. Flexible configurations An important capability with DecisionScript (the Vanguard server end language) is that the models can be coded so as to enable the user to reconfigure the model functionality online, redesign whole functioning models and implement them so as to switch to a fully operational mode in real time. The overall operation of models can be supported by a range of dialogues and interfaces which facilitate the understanding of what a model represents and what it is doing. Additional capabilities include two and three dimensional graphic outputs of selected variables, calculation results, completely formatted reports on the findings of, for example, a simulation or an optimization routine. More importantly, if decision analysis models make up part of a transactional function within a company they can be designed to respond in real time to changing circumstances such as changes in exchange rates. Models can also be configured to send out various forms of real time alerts to prompt or advise key corporate personnel via email, texts and audible signals sent to their browser or PC based scripts. Business processes & enterprise models Business processes can range from intelligent building access systems managing one or two workforce access points to complete supply chain decision sequences for specific process inputs or outputs or all business processes can be integrated into a comprehensive enterprise model combining a large number of separate decision procedures (see Enterprise models). In all cases the visual modelling capabilities making use of process and event nodes and transmission links (carrying information, products, personnel and funds) provide the most convenient way to "visualise", analyse, build, test and review decision analysis models. How we help We assist customers in the development of appropriate decision analysis models making use of easy-to-follow visual modelling approaches and according to the specific scope of the decision tasks to be automated. We assist customers establish criteria which a model needs to meet in order to be deemed acceptable in terms of its effective contribution to the asessmen tof risk. |
