Organization

Now that you know a little more about your options, the time has come to organize your model. Layouts will vary from model to model and according to personal prefernece, but consider these four basic categories:

The larger and more comlicated a model, the more important organization becomes. The flowchart is the visual model composed of box variables, rates, auxiliary variables and connectors. Documentation covers everything from comments to the underlying mathematical model, a system of differential equations. Interface in Vensim PLE comes in the form of slider bars associated with variables. Output refers to tables and graphs, the means by which data computed while running the model is accessed. The next two segments will illustrate two options for organizing a model, first using a single-window, then with multiple views. Of course, there are infinite possibilities for how to organize a model. One of Vensim PLE's strongest points is its flexibility.