Year

2017

Deliverables

Report paper
Model prototype

Expertise Area

Technology & Realization
User & Society

Introduction to modelling : SKYSCRAPER

In this project I together with a team created a model within a context that we choose. In this way, you can define the problem and choose the purpose of the model. The scenario that we use for this
The scenario was as follows:
A skyscraper has to be evacuated. The electricity is too insufficient to use the elevators during the evacuation. An exception is made for the fire brigade and other rescue services. This means that every person present has to leave the skyscraper through the stairs. The goal of this project was developing a prediction model and an analysis model. With these models we wanted to both analyze and predict how much time is needed to evacuate a certain skyscraper, with a given amount of people and floors. In this model, the time is a numerical output and knowledge of when the last person will be leaving the building.

My reflection about the project

When making a model you have to make choices and assumptions constantly. Making the right choices is hard, but necessary as they can have a great impact on the outcome of your model. This is why you have to keep reflecting on the choices you made earlier to see if they still fit within the model you are making. Therefore, I reflected on our model and on the choices we made after each step in the modeling process.
In the beginning it was a bit difficult to decide which concepts to take along in our model and to decide on which assumptions could be made. Overall this project all went well: the model held all the necessary concepts and relations. However, when we started reflecting on the model, we noticed that the evacuation time could not be a concept as it already was the goal of the model. I learned alot about object based thinking, used a lot of my mathematical knowledge and learned how to create models.