“You say you want a revolution. Well you know, we all want to change the world.”
Circumstances…
Are you sad because your live-in brother-in-law can’t find ‘simulationist’ in the help-wanted listings? Do you lie-awake nights wondering how a ‘simulaitonist’ is different from a systems engineer? … a software engineer? … a snake-oil salesman? Do you wonder why anyone in his right mind would invest in simulation technology and tools rather than in catfish farming? Is that what’s bothering you friend? Well SISO, SCS, and NTSA are going to do something about it!
‘SimSummit' is a prospective Convention of the world's most influential modeling and simulation organizations being planned for 18, 19 July 2002 in San Diego, CA and being coordinated jointly by the Simulation Interoperability Standards Organization (SISO), the Society for Computer Simulation, International (SCS), and the National Training Systems Association (NTSA). The Convention and workshop will include institutional participants from academia, government, private industry, and the professional societies worldwide. The objective of the meeting is no less than to significantly advance the evolution of the modeling and simulation profession, industry, and market.
Attitude…
As in most endeavors (and in all revolutionary ones), there is a little bit of attitude involved. So we’d best come clean with you. For starters, the SimSummit organizers think that Modeling and Simulation is important! Its fundamental value is manifest in something as universally significant as the capacity it provides for systematic and rational ‘storytelling’ in real and imagined worlds. [ ‘Not too revolutionary so far’ you say?… hang on, there’s more….] Furthermore, Modeling and Simulation's influence is predicated on the well-established underlying technologies that define the discipline – but, the nature, use, and influence of these technologies are rapidly ‘emerging’ and becoming evermore influential in an enormously diverse range of application domains. In fact, of course, Modeling and Simulation’s practice and industrial standing are evolving under the influence of natural mechanisms from a relatively immature state toward one of fuller potential – it’s not that M&S is new, but that the comprehensive set of conditions whereby the heretofore disparate uses and users of M&S can now be appreciated ‘in-the-large’ is different. [‘OK, so what’?] Fundamentally, we all have a stake in the maturation of Modeling and Simulation! And furthermore, the evolution of the modeling and simulation technology, profession, industry, and market is inhibited by (or conversely can be aided and abetted by) a variety of factors which are not fully understood, appreciated or shared. [‘Oh! So you think that by working in cooperation….’] Now, together, we can make a difference in influencing the modeling and simulation industry for our collective advantage. In short, (I know…’too late now’!) the thesis of SimSummit is this:
Modeling and Simulation is a powerful emerging technology whose evolution and full maturation is significantly inhibited by lack of consensus of its technical body of knowledge, lack of systematic development of a professional cadre, and uncertainty in appreciation of markets and economic factors – SimSummit is designed to make a difference!
SimSummit Rationale, Concept, Intention, and Expectation…
In a few simple paragraphs, we provide the ‘who, what, when, where, why, how, and to-what effect’ of SimSummit.
WHAT - ‘SimSummit’ designates a convention of representatives of organizations which are ‘leaders’ in modeling and simulation worldwide. The convention is conceived as a summit meeting and workshop wherein matters of strategic importance to the entire M&S community can be systematically addressed and where consensus and agreements among the most influential organizations may be established for the general good.
WHY - The motivation for a SimSummit convention lies in the revelation of modeling and simulation as an emerging technology and the maturation of the accompanying profession, industry, and market; and in the perception of the opportunity to ‘precipitate’ an identifiable M&S-based business sector for which considerable readiness already exists.
WHO - SimSummit participating agents are intended to be the set of organizations in government, academia, industry and the professional societies worldwide which are most influential in establishing M&S technology and business practice. Representatives of these organizations, attending ex officio on behalf of their home institutions, will participate in a variety of activities, defined by consensus among participating organizations and facilitated by not-for-profit professional societies. Solicitation of organizational participants in SimSummit is being made by the committee-of-the-whole, seeded by the SCS, SISO, and NTSA professional societies.
WHERE/WHEN - SimSummit arrangements have already been made to secure convention meeting space and supporting infrastructure at the U. S Grant Hotel, San Diego, CA. on 18 and 19 July, 2002. By co-locating the SimSummit Convention with the Summer Computer Simulation Conference (SCSC), and by offsetting schedules, opportunity is provided to the SimSummit attendees to participate in the SCSC and for the SimSummit event to leverage operational administrative investment already made.
HOW - Just as participation is based on agreement among the expanding core cadre, the operational agenda and intended data products and agreements will be established insofar as possible by employing systematic consensus-building practices. Event Activity Agenda will include the following:
Disclosure by participating organizations’ of the terms of their participation in the SimSummit Event, including their organization’s posture in the industry, perception of evolution / maturation of M&S technology and industry, needs and interests relating to the future of modeling and simulation, and expectations / recommendations / intentions for the SimSummit Convention Event, will serve to establish the initial conditions and the tenor of the convention.
Identification of critical topical issues will serve to focus discussion during the SimSummit Event and to crystallize an agenda for continued attention.
Typical topics of interest and concern should be expected to be far-ranging …relating to the specification, delineation, and discrimination of the profession, industry, and market…e.g.:
- ‘What is the Body of Knowledge that discriminates modeling and simulation technology’?
- ‘To what degree is modeling and simulation technology independent of application domain…to what degree is it dependent’?
- ‘What characterizes (qualifies) a simulation professional’?…
…relating to the interfaces between modeling and simulation and other technologies and professions within and between operating organizations…e.g.: - ‘What is the appropriate relationship of modeling and simulation to related technologies and professional disciplines (e.g. systems engineering, software life-cycle management, information management, etc.)’?…
…and relating to the practical considerations of administration of professional meetings, publications, and professional education and training…e.g.:
- ‘What should be the role of professional societies…how can that role best be served’?
Some form of small-group deliberation on topics of significant general interest is important, and is considered likely to be stimulating and productive. The results of such collaborative activities, reported ex posteriori and staffed for acceptance by consensus by participating individuals (and or organizations), will contribute substantively to the publishable work-products of the event.
In a related activity, the SimSummit participants can take positive-definite steps to capture in the form of a collective consensus the relationships, determinations, and findings of the SimSummit convention. Alternative concepts for persistent cooperation among participating organizations (and others as appropriate) can be identified, and preferred forms (structure) of collective association and administration determined. Concepts of operations (process) and administrative mechanisms for the prospective collective can likewise be considered, debated, and elected. Finally, any such formal agreements as seem desirable in order to establish, maintain, and operate the collective can be identified and progress made toward drafting and implementing such agreements.
TO WHAT EFFECT - Event products and consequences will include:
- Points-of-Contact Details / Familiarity – One significant consequence of the SimSummit event is to establish clearly identified points-of-contact among the participating organizations and to begin the process of investing in familiarity, understanding, and trust among participating organization’s representatives. POC information along with individual introductions will be published with the SimSummit meeting proceedings.
- Topics-of-Interest Report - A particular report on the topics-of-interest elicited during the meeting activities will be produced, which documents the topic identity, indicates the advocating organization, semantic qualification of nature of the issue or opportunity, potential implications, available amelioratives or action, and recommendations or consensus determinations and findings. In particular, information that participants provide by way of raising topics will be included as reference.
- Determinations on Debate Resolutions – Information and determinations-and-findings pertinent to the resolutions discussed and debated during the conference will be captured and published in the convention event proceedings. Particularly valuable will be the position reports of discussion teams brought to the attention of the plenary and any consensus determinations based thereupon.
- Establishment of Collective Agreement / Statement of Resolution or Intention – Naturally, any fundamental consensus of the participants on issues of import and any collective statement of resolution or intention will be of highest importance – manifesting as it were the ‘will’ of the assembly.
- Improved State of the M&S Profession / Industry / Market – While not a concrete product per se, the intention, hope, and expectation is that the conduct of SimSummit will change the ‘state’ of the modeling and simulation profession, industry and marketplace in terms of the appreciation of the nature of modeling and simulation as an emerging technology, and related evolution of professional industrial and economic standing of M&S for the collective advantage.
After all…the intended consequence of the SimSummit event is no less than to influence the modeling and simulation profession, industry, and market by beginning the process of intentionally facilitating modeling and simulation as an emerging technology for the collective good.
Conclusion…
Think of SimSummit this way:
the 2002 SimSummit is to:
the Evolution of the Modeling and Simulation Industry as
the 1789 meeting of the French Estates-General was to: the French Revolution.
The solicitation of participating organizations is, of course, already under way, and the population of the SimSummit convention promises to be remarkable in its diversity and influence. The topical agenda, while not fully formalized, is sure to be evocative. And the consequences of the meeting, while anticipated to some degree in the program planning, are likely to be revealing and useful in ways that were never fully anticipated by the event organizers. Any questions, comments or recommendations about SimSummit may be referred to the members of the SimSummit Executive Committee:
Mr. Warren Katz Chairman, Executive Committee Simulation Interoperability and Standards Organization
Dr. Bruce Fairchild President The Society of Computer Simulation International
RADM Fred Lewis Director National Training and Simulation Association
William F. Waite Chairman, SimSummit Executive Committee
or submitted to: SimSummit@scs.org