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   Strategies to get friendly and interactive access to advanced models

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 How much advanced and efficient is the software your models is based on?, how much friendly and interactive your model could be?

Issues under discussion

There is a growing number of modellers providing user-friendly on-line access to their models through Internet, and this number will rapidly increase in the future. A search into relevant webs have already identified a number of very interesting cases, covering different technologic solutions and scientific fields.

Providing user-friendly and on-line access to models has a number of crutial advantages for both the modeller and the end-user (scientists and decision-makers). On the one hand, modellers could optimise the hardware and software tools supporting the model (since the model is actually installed in their own computer facilities) making them as productive and efficient as possible, and then provide on-line access to a potentially unlimited number of end-users. End-users could gain access to a large number of operational models and use them by themselves, removing the need to install each model (and all related databases) into their own computer system (which in most cases will be suboptimal handling advanced models, or simply incompatible).

Outside the transport research programme there are a number of interesting experiences (from PACE-FORWARD high-level policy tool to Websites allowing travelers to explore the shortest or cheapest alternative route or transport service), but in general it is fair to say that the transport planning sector is using (nowadays) ICT development less than other sectors actually do.

Next table provides a reference to the software architectures of transport models developed in the 4th FP.


 Software architectures TRANSPORT MODELS

(mostly developed on the EU 4th FP)

1

 Single models DGXV (ME&P), TRENEN, APRIL, STEMM(MDS), MAP-1 (MKmetric-Beta), SIMIQ, VACLAV, MATISSE (INRETS)

2

 Use of ad-hoc formats for data interchanges between models in common platforms EUNET+STREAMS (NTUA, MEAP), SCENES (INRETS, MEAP), ECOPAC, EUNET+STREAMS (NTUA, MEAP), PHARE (NEA,MKmetric,IWW).

3

 Re-programming an updated interactive model calibrated with existing models ASTRA (based on QUEST,STREAMS) (IWW)

4

 Interactive model with friendly interface based on the results of previously applied advanced model. No interface. PHARE (NEA-MKmetric, Mcrit), SAMU

5

 Interactive tools in standard software application POSSUM, SMILE (MEI, TNO), ASSEMBLING-KT (Mcrit), PACE-FORWARD (RAND for Ducth Ministry of Transport), SCENARIO EXPLORER (Dutch Ministry of Transport)

6

 Intranet Interface with key policy variables-questions linked to external model or system VIA (MKmetric)

7

 Internet interface linked to an interactive model ASSEMBLING-KS (IWW)

8

 Open multi-software systems driven by user-friendly interface SIET (Mcrit),SIMU (Mcrit), IG/EIB (Mcrit)

9

 Open multi-software support systems driven by user-friendly interfaces accessible through Intranet IG/EIB (Mcrit)

10

 Open multi-software support systems interactive on Internet & Intranet (Electronic Commerce, intelligent advertising...)

 The feasibility of the "on-line and friendly access to models" vision, requires solving two set of very different problems:

-The interactivity gap (on-line communication between remote computer systems and models able to run on real-time, providing "just-in-time" outputs when feasible)

-The user-friendliness gap (translation of user’s questions into models inputs and models outputs into meaningful answers)

First assessment: Solving the interactivity gap: Getting access to remote models

Basically, there are three options to get access to models (or to any software tool):

-The Internet option (through Internet browsers)

-The Intranet option (through Intranet Operative Systems)

-The single computer option (by directly installing the model in the computer).

 

  1. The model in connected to a number of software applications (DBS, CAD, GIS, Statistical Packages, Spreadsheets...) within the modeller own Intranet, in an open multi-software support system. The end-user has to install the whole same system, (and buy all supporting system) in his or her computer system. However, after an study of the model sensitivy to key variables, the modeller can developed a simplified but still meaningful interactive version of the model in an standard or royalties-free software tool enjoying a user-friendly interface. This user-friendly and interactive version can be disseminate by CDRom to all interested decision-makers (e.g. Phare Toolbox) or simply by Internet for free downloading (e.g. ASSEMBLING/Know_tools).

  2. Intranet options: The main interface driving the system within the modeller’s Intranet can be directly accessed by the end-user if his or her computer is linked to the modeller Intranet. This requires to pre-configure the end-user computer system specially for each model

  3. Internet options: The system is able to send and receive messages from/to Internet browsers, so it can be driven from a remote browser. In the modellers website there is an specific Internet interface channeling user’s queries to the model. This does not require any specific configuration of the end-user computer system (e.g. ASSEMBLING/Know_system). It is also feasible in some cases to develop interactive versions of the model embedded within Java applets. 

5.2 Solving the user-friendliness gap: Getting intelligent access to model

The user-friendliness gap, from a software point of view, there is an increasing number of commercial applications providing useful tools to customise user-interfaces to end-users demands (both Internet and Intranet). Therefore, the key element is converting user-interface into actual knowledge tools able to help users to understand the interest and limits of the model, as well as to formulate legitimate questions and interpret model’s outputs. For very complex models, an Expert System (e.g. Bridges/DSS) maybe needed to carry on such task.

ASSEMBLING is using three alternative software solutions to build up user-interfaces:

-Internet interface connected to a Dynamic System model based on ASTRA-SCENES-SCENARIOS development. The actual model is located in the server of Karlsruhe University and runs in a Unix machine under Lynux OS, and the Internet interface establishes the link between the user and the model. The options available to the user are necessarily restricted only to those queries the model can answer on-time.

-Internet interface based on a Java applet which includes an statistical formulation which simulates the actual model. The statistical formulation was calibrated based on previous runs of the model, which was originally programmed in Visual Basic using an spreadsheet as basis.

-Intranet interface based on spreadsheets (EXCEL) which can be downloaded by free from ASSEMBLING website.

 

Provisory conclusions

The first exploration of the subject has demonstrated, first, that there are many alternative software solutions to interface advanced models through Internet and Intranet; and second, that the development of any of these solutions requires to re-think the model as a software tool to be interlinked to others tools. In many cases it is convenient to re-programme the model or to calibrate a new statistical model based on the results provided by the actual model (after carrying on a sensitivity analysis, e.g.).

In fact, the "interface" element between models and users has to be a "knowledge tool", able to translate users questions into models queries and models outputs into answers meaningful to the users. The communication between users and models must be interactive in order to allow for on-line validation of user’s intuitions and presumptions: it is by simulating the different impacts of alternative decisions, and evaluate the difference between users perceptions and model response, that users can be engaged in a self-reinforcing learning process.

 

Alternative visions

Mcrit has carried out a first systematic search on Internet to find interesting samples of interactive models enjoying user-friendly interfaces. Based on these experiences, a systematic presentation has been developed (click to see it).

 

 

 

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Click to see 
strategies to publish 
your models on Internet!!


Bridges middleware technology

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Macroeconomic
Dynamic Forecast on CGIs by IWW (ASSEMBLING)

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Click to visit meta-models on spreadsheet  

  

Objective

 LTvisions goal is exploring new software and modelling solutions to improve model's usability.