The cost of missed opportunities
Many organizations struggle to get the full value of process simulation because of a handful of common pitfalls. These errors lead to long project timelines and skepticism from leadership.
But the real tragedy is not just wasted time or resources. It is the missed opportunity for quick, compounding successes that drive rapid organizational change. By avoiding these five mistakes, you can sharply reduce modeling time and raise the quality of your process analysis.
Use accessible data to streamline updates
One of the most common complaints from business leaders is how long it takes to update a model. Manually entering data is a slow, spoonful-at-a-time approach.
Instead, embrace automation by linking your simulation model directly to accessible data sources such as a spreadsheet. With a single click, you can prepare, import, and run new data.
With the new ProcessModel, handling data and model updates is easier than ever. This not only cuts the time spent on manual entry, it virtually eliminates errors, which frees you to focus on process optimization.
Simplify changes with a custom interface
A model is only as valuable as it is usable. By building a custom interface, you can make a complex simulation accessible to people who are not modelers.
For example, a manufacturing client created a simple interface for their sales team that let them predict the results of different product configurations with a single Run button. As a result, the team could make dramatic, data-driven decisions in minutes without needing to understand the underlying detail.
Use a throw-away model for process analysis
The traditional approach of collecting every piece of data before building a model is a massive waste of time.
Instead, do not spend hours gathering detailed and potentially irrelevant information. Begin with a simplified, throw-away model. This quick model lets you run an initial analysis and understand what information is truly critical.
By using rough estimates, you can test the model’s sensitivity. That way you can focus detailed data collection only on the areas that significantly affect the outcome. This single change can cut project times by over 45%.
Build in the proper sequence
The order in which you build a model can drastically affect how long it takes. Rather than building from beginning to end with full detail, adopt a more efficient sequence.
By building the core logic first and adding detail incrementally, you can cut modeling time by as much as 60%. In fact, this approach was instrumental in building a process simulation for NASA’s Johnson Space Center. The project was voted Process Improvement of the Year because the model was built and presented to management in under four hours.
A little bit of detail goes a long way
It is easy to get overwhelmed by the intricacies of a system. But more detail does not always mean more accuracy.
In some cases, excessive detail actually decreases a model’s accuracy and makes it harder to change. The key to effective process improvement is a simple question: will this detail add significant accuracy or capability to the model?
If the answer is no, leave it out. A simplified simulation often highlights the problem more clearly, which leads to faster results and quicker wins. For more on building in the right order, see our step-by-step guide to building models.
