Verification and validation and complex environments: a study in service sector

Verification and validation are two very important steps in simulation modeling. Consequently, they are under constant review and examination from many different perspectives. Researchers have identified several modes of conducting verification and validation and proposed taxonomies for techniques used in their execution. This paper visits the issues in the light of a case study being carried out specifically in the health sector. The paper argues that the health sector is characterized by a level of complexity in handling “resources” (as understood in simulation modeling) which is not frequently found in the manufacturing sector. This complexity makes validation and verification of simulation models a difficult and challenging task. While the earlier articulation of modes of verification and validation and their taxonomy are generally helpful, there is still some work which could be fruitfully undertaken in understanding various situations and, especially, the perspectives which the “end-users” or clients bring to bear upon any modeling exercise.