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The biggest cause of failed simulation projects is

Failing to verify/validate model
30% (13 votes)
Lack of experience
9% (4 votes)
Lack of time available
5% (2 votes)
Quality of analysis
0% (0 votes)
Quality of input data
16% (7 votes)
Shifting objectives
11% (5 votes)
Software suitability
2% (1 vote)
The client
11% (5 votes)
Other (please add comment)
16% (7 votes)
Total votes: 44

Comments

Tue, 03/17/2009 - 10:09 — Mark Jeffery

"Failed" Simulation Project Cause

The definition I am using for "failed" is that the customer does not use the result of the simulation study.  All too often the reason is that the simulation project result does not support the option that the customer was wanting to justify. 

Wed, 04/21/2010 - 09:20 — Karl Groth

Failed Simulation Project Cause

I find three main problems:

1) The person doing the simulation has no real-world in the plant experience which is a must when modeling production equipment. Taking drawings and using typical parameter values is not enough especially when modeling an existing system. You have to be able to field check a system and understand the process you are looking at. In theory you can model things that look good, but, are not practical from a real-world standpoint.  Customers don’t like it when you tell them an improvement needs to be made to an area that someone with real-world experience with that equipment knows can’t be implemented.
 
2) Over complicating things. Overloading the client with mountains of theoretical/statistical data that they don’t need instead of simply presenting results, conclusions and recommendations.
 
3) Customer interface. Recognizing what the customer needs and working with the customer to meet those needs.  At times that may mean doing some work that is not in the scope, but, by doing so leaves the customer happy.  Telling a customer you can’t do what they want, but, this is what you can do to get the result they really want. At times telling the customer why a simulation shouldn’t be done.