WF SIMULATION ARTICLE - Consulting, Business, Simulation, Software, Systems Thinking, System Dynamics, Websims, Powersim

IPLI Builds
with Andersen

Christopher Galassi, consultant and principal of Innovative Projects Lab, Inc., recently teamed up with Arthur Andersen's Business Consulting Division providing development leadership to create simulation software. The first application was for a business model of Andersen's Worldwide Audit practice, a picture of which was featured in the May/June issue of Washington Flyer Magazine's Business Briefs (right).

Galassi has broad skills in planning and development of software and experience in simulation development ranging from interactive multimedia educational simulations to scientific and business applications. IPLI is a member of Microsoft's Developer Network.

Most recently, IPLI has ventured into building software and such simulations for the Internet and Intranets. The Andersen software

"With Metro Server, Galassi can build simulation software with HTML and JAVA that can be deployed on the Internet or Intranets."

product was developed as a standalone product around a System Dynamics internal component built with Powersim, Inc.'s, (Herndon, VA) modeling tool. Subsequent to the Andersen work, IPLI began collaboration with Powersim Inc., as a beta tester for their Metro Server product. With Metro Server, Galassi can build simulation software using HTML and Java that can be deployed on the Internet or Intranets.

Simulation Saves
Time, Money

Pilots for years have trained on flight simulators, learning on the computer rather than in the cockpit. Now, think of business as a jet and the CEO as captain: Doesn't it make some sense to "crash" on a PC instead of in the marketplace?

That's the idea behind business simulators, software programs that allow executives to play out scenarios—from layoffs to price increases—behind closed doors before launching them in real life. The market is still less than $100 million worldwide, according to Gartner Group Inc.,

a Stamford, Conn.-based information technology advisory firm. But with programs increasingly fast and affordable, sales are likely to grow as much as 30 percent annually through the rest of the decade—and it may eventually be common to have a simulator on your desktop toolbar.

Powersim Corporation is jumping on the trend—with a twist. The Herndon-based business simulation firm recently announced a simulator for use on the Internet and expected to begin launching it on customer Web sites in April.

In addition to letting corporate executives from different parts of the world "play" out scenarios together, a home page simulator can act as a sales tool. --Bryan Walpert.

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