Specification of needs statements for training simulation development, verification and validation

The first step in any system life-cycle is the specification of a needs statement. Such a statement expresses the need for a system in terms of the problem that has to be addressed, how the system will be deployed to address the problem (i.e. intended use), and an initial (user) requirements specification and constraints for an appropriate system. This also applies to advanced training systems such as training simulations. At present, user needs statements for training simulations are still often written in an ad hoc way, usually not based on true training needs but merely on the available state-of-the-art M&S technology capabilities. A proper needs statement is not only essential for cost-effective training simulation development, but also a necessary precondition for proper simulation verification and validation. This paper presents a systematic method for specifying needs statements for training systems, called SLIM. The method has been developed for and in collaboration with the Royal Netherlands Army. It has been applied several times to specify their needs statement in acquisition processes of training simulations. Due to its underlying structure, iterative character and workshop-setting, the SLIM method ensures that all important aspects are addressed in a well balanced manner within the available training simulation project resources, time and budget. This paper introduces the four major steps and underlying concepts of the SLIM method. It illustrates how the SLIM method is applied in the development of training simulations. Furthermore, the paper discusses how the method can be adapted and recursively applied in developing V&V needs statements for training simulations. To this extent the SLIM method provides a pragmatic technique to facilitate the development of the VV&A requirements and preconditions products inside the Generic Methodology for Verification and Validation (GM-VV) framework. Copyright © (2009) by SISO - Simulation Interoperability Standards Organization.