These go by various names, including learning environments, management simulators, custom applications, Vensim applications (Venapps) and more.  They are a simplified interface which allows an inexperienced user limited access to a simulation model.  Learning environments allow the user a few choices to set up or run a model, and present output information in a custom interface, without the need to learn specialized modeling software.  Environments can be designed to run a model through a full simulation time period, or they can be designed to allow the user to step through a simulation at certain time intervals.  In this fashion, a user can change constant values during the simulation to try and “control” a system.  In Vensim, this is called playing a “Game” and Vensim is run in gaming mode. Read more about Vensim applications.

Posted in: Modeling Concepts