Proposed unified discrete event simulation content roadmap for M&S curricula

Abstract

This paper presents a new educational roadmap for teaching discrete event system (DES) simulation software design. This roadmap represents the hierarchical structure and inter-relationships characterizing the worldviews of DES simulation, namely, event scheduling and process interaction. The roadmap was developed from the authors' experience while teaching DES simulation to both undergraduate and graduate students, spanning several years. The roadmap's development was motivated by the need to strive for greater completeness as well as fewer inconsistencies in the material curriculum. The commonality between the worldviews is highlighted in striving for a uniform approach. The intent of this paper is to provide other educators a foundation for their own DES simulation course development. A simple example is used to illustrate the worldviews within the roadmap.