Analysis and Simulation
In the previous three chapters the author has considered direct connections between the brief and the design representation, between discrete items in the brief, such as requirements or constraints, and attributes of entities or relationships between entities in the design. Such connections cover the bulk of the brief but leave out important questions that concern overall performance and relate to general, frequently abstract goals in the brief like sustainability. To tackle such questions, one must often analyse the design as a whole: predict its behaviour and performance and compare it to what the brief and legal or professional requirements specify. Computerization offers a wide range of possibilities for performing such extensive and demanding tasks automatically. In this chapter a few examples of computerized design analysis both within the programs that have been used so far and in external software are discussed. These analyses are primarily performed through simulations that promise the accuracy, reliability, and transparency required to achieve and safeguard the brief goals.