INFORMS Open Forum

For a research project, I've recently begun investigating the question of how companies/organizations manage models.  The goal of the project is to develop better model management practices for OR organizations and prototype the ideas within an information systems context.  Models means any kind of model (operations research, simulation, machine learning, etc. etc.).  The desire is to begin to treat models as "assets" for planned maintenance, tracking, portfolio management, retirement, etc. 

So far I have only come across systems in the ML area (e.g. MLFlow.org) that help with the life-cycle of machine learning models.  I have not found much information on systems/processes for managing operations research models that are used in companies.

So, I am wondering if anyone has come across this issue in their organization and how they approach the problem of tracing, tracking, maintaining, managing operations research models as assets to organizations.

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Manuel Rossetti
Professor
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville AR
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My company has a modeling guide.   It was written by experts in the company and has last over 20 years.   By having the guide, it enables employees to move to various organizations and have a better understanding of how the model works.   There is also a Model Review conducted by Peers from other internal organizations.   It is about the model and analysis and not the modeler.  They are welcomed by the modeler and the project manager.   All models have ome mistake.     While the models are complex more than 50% are evaluated with decision trees using a proprietary decision tree software package.   

These models are easily converted to simulation models with discrete or continuous variables to accommodate additional uncertainties.   The standard Decision Quality procedure is followed to achieve a good Decision with the information known.   My YouTube channel demonstrate how these type of models are formatted and evaluated using simulation.  

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BRIAN PUTT
Decision Scientist Consultant
retired
Fremont CA
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Original Message:
Sent: 10-23-2024 09:40
From: Manuel Rossetti
Subject: model management of OR/Simulation models

For a research project, I've recently begun investigating the question of how companies/organizations manage models.  The goal of the project is to develop better model management practices for OR organizations and prototype the ideas within an information systems context.  Models means any kind of model (operations research, simulation, machine learning, etc. etc.).  The desire is to begin to treat models as "assets" for planned maintenance, tracking, portfolio management, retirement, etc. 

So far I have only come across systems in the ML area (e.g. MLFlow.org) that help with the life-cycle of machine learning models.  I have not found much information on systems/processes for managing operations research models that are used in companies.

So, I am wondering if anyone has come across this issue in their organization and how they approach the problem of tracing, tracking, maintaining, managing operations research models as assets to organizations.

------------------------------
Manuel Rossetti
Professor
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville AR
------------------------------