Co-design and co-simulation for engineering systems: insights from the Sustainable Infrastructure Planning Game

This paper draws on perspectives from co-design as an integrative and collaborative design activity co-simulation a supporting information system to advance engineering methods for problems of societal significance. Design implementation the Sustainable Infrastructure Planning Game provides prototypical artifact that leverages High Level Architecture standard. Three role players create strategic infrastructure plan agriculture, water, energy sectors meet sustainability objectives growing urbaninzing population in fictional desert nation. An observational study conducts 15 sessions understand underlying dynamics between actors how capabilities influence outcomes. Results characterize dependencies conflicts player roles based technical exchange resource flows, identifying tension agriculture water demands irrigation. Analysis shows correlation data exchange, facilitated by synchronous co-simulation, highly-ranked achievement joint Conclusions reflect opportunities challenges presented settings address systems problems.