Modelers are from Manchester; Case study teams are from Edinburgh Shah Jamal Alam University of Edinburgh

The ‘Art’ of Social Simulation… “Science is what we understand well enough to explain to a computer. Art is everything else we do.” (Knuth, 1995) [Foreword in A=B]

Some thoughts … 1 Understanding modelers/case-study teams’ interaction – Many different patterns of interaction exist – Distance and time factors – Mode and frequency of interaction – Alignment of research agenda

Some thoughts … 2 Some suggestions for new modelers/PhD students – Be an extrovert modeler – A way to get qualitative data is by asking questions through a quick & dirty model – Be prepared to discard these prototype models Do not try to build frameworks – Unless you have a job security

Some thoughts … 3 It’s the code, stupid – There’s a plenty of effort from conceptualization (diagrams etc.) to actual coding

Geller’s first conjecture in Social Simulation*: ‘The number of (informed) arbitrary assumptions (read magic numbers) introduced in a social simulation model due to limited evidence is proportional to the level of descriptiveness in the model.’ Geller’s second conjecture in Social Simulation*: ‘There is no way to avoid arbitrary assumptions in a reasonably descriptive social simulation model’ * It’s a joke! Not to be attributed to any person (including Geller)

Summarizing … A working group to study different patterns of modelers/case- study teams interaction – Develop protocols – Training of students (e.g. ESSA school) – See Hare (2011; Env. Pol. Gov.); also, Polhill et al. (2010; JASSS) Many reviewers are non-modelers or have stopped modeling – Seldom reviewers ask for a source code! Document most assumptions in the model – especially, arbitrary assumptions Is there enough description available to replicate a model? Code availability is essential!

“Science advances whenever an Art becomes a Science. And the state of the Art advances too, because people always leap into new territory once they have understood more about the old.” (Knuth 1995) [Foreword in A=B]