11: Art of Modeling and NPE

"Art is a lie that tells the truth." — Pablo Picasso."The final test of a theory is its capacity to solve the problems which originated it." - Dantzig"The best material model of a cat is another, or preferably the same, cat." - Norbert Weiner

Lecture outline: what sort of a model suits best our analysis/ evaluation needs?

1. Introduction to modeling

What is a model? Why do we need models?

What is a good model?

Types of models: Conceptual, Physical/ Mechanical, Mathematical models.

Mathematical models: Analytical, Statistical models.

Models used in NPE: Analytical models, Simulation models, Empirical models.

2. Limitations of mathematical models

Don't of mathematical modeling;

Advice from modelers in other fields.

Primary reference for this lecture:

“The Art of Computer Systems Performance Analysis: Techniques for Experimental Design, Measurement, Simulation, and Modeling” by Raj Jain; Chapter 3: “Selection of Techniques and Metrics”.