Requirements of the Model

 

To create a boat traffic model, it is first necessary to define the system that is being studied. After the system is identified, then the best way to represent the system must be considered.

From the objectives for studies cited in table 1.2, about half of the boat traffic studies cited here have made some attempt at presenting a formalized model of a recreational boat traffic system. This is a fundamental step for an objective analysis of any traffic patterns. Identifying some activity or phenomenon as a system or part of a system is a preliminary step for subjecting it to scientific analysis. A model is a description or summary of the relevant components of the system in question. Since the concepts of model and system are especially crucial to this study, it will be worth while to take some time to clearly define and discuss these terms.

Arguably, by the act of thinking about one's surroundings, one is in effect modeling the world around oneself. The scientific notion of a model is essentially a formalization of this concept. A model can take many forms. Some of the more common kinds of models are:

• conceptual relationships
• mathematical relationships
• flowcharts
• series of logical statements
• memory of relative states (neural network model)
• combination thereof

Any of these kinds of models can be formulated in a way that is amenable to translation into a computer simulation. The details of the model and its implementation in a computer are very much a function on what information the modeler is searching for and what assumptions one is willing to make.