Implementing “Good Enough” for Modeling and Simulation Verification and Validation

Our previous paper suggested that following the Simulation Development Protocol defines “good enough” for verification and validation of modeling and simulation efforts. Like many others, the authors recognize the increasing number of papers aimed at growing credibility, decreasing costs, and reducing rework. Although these papers provide useful guidelines, readers are often left searching for execution examples and lessons learned. In this paper, we want to discuss the implementation of our “good-enough” journey, highlighting lessons learned and successes for distinct roles on a program. For program managers, we emphasize the importance of establishing modeling as a product. For product team leads, we highlight the need for an early modeling and simulation plan a team can execute iteratively in collaboration with the customer. For developers, we stress the importance of adhering to the Simulation Development Protocol. For all leads and developers, we discuss the need for early customer engagement. We also advocate for removing ambiguous words from these early conversations (the F-Word!). Furthermore, we believe that customers should be an integral part of the solution space by contributing to the definition and design of capability needs and requirements with uncertainty quantification. Ultimately, by sharing practical implementation examples and lessons learned, this paper serves as a roadmap for stakeholders to effectively execute the protocol, transforming modeling and simulation efforts into a scalable, credible, and cost-efficient product that drives program success.