A Systems Development Life-Cycle Methodology for Agent-Based Model Development

Rod L. Sipe

New Science Partners

Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) methodologies provide a means of planning and executing a wide variety of software development efforts, ranging from traditional custom application development to rapid application development using prototyping. Consultants use SDLCs in the commercial delivery of their services to demonstrate to their clients their ability to plan and execute the development with proper controls on scope and cost. As the development of agent-based models (ABM) takes its place in the list of capabilities of custom software development companies, a variation on the traditional SDLC will be needed to control the process. This paper presents a methodology for the development of an agent-based model, defining the phases, activities, and deliverables of the process, and provides some insights and comments on favorable circumstances for the application of an ABM and the nature of the dialogue between the developer and the client.

Keywords:

agent-based modeling, systems development life cycle methodology, SDLC, project management

[presentation materials]