Foundations of Discrete Event Simulation

Simulation modeling is a powerful technique used across industries to test scenarios, predict system behavior, and optimize resource allocation without costly real-world experimentation. This course provides a hands-on introduction to Discrete Event Simulation (DES), equipping you with the foundational knowledge to design, code, and execute models that accurately represent dynamic processes. What you'll learn: * Understand the core elements of discrete event systems, including entities, events, resources, and time management. * Design the structure for a simulation model, defining process flows and state variables clearly. * Implement the central simulation function, managing the event calendar and advancing the simulation clock. * Apply basic programming techniques, including type hints, to ensure clear and maintainable simulation code. * Practice running multiple scenarios and performing basic statistical analysis on output data. We start by establishing essential terminology and concepts. You will then be guided through structuring the model components and implementing the core logic required to run a functional, event-driven simulation from start to finish. This course is ideal for absolute beginners in simulation and programming who want to learn how to model real-world systems. No prior knowledge of simulation theory is required. Begin your journey into quantitative modeling and system analysis.