Considering Combining: Designs for the complementary use of System Dynamics and Discrete Event Simulation

System Dynamics (SD) and Discrete-event simulation (DES) can be viewed as complementary approaches to modeling. Both are popular simulation approaches and have been applied in a wide range of situations for various purposes. Reviewing the literature from the multimethodology field allows us to develop a modeling framework that considers the differing ways in which SD and DES could be combined. The aim of the work described here is to test, reflect on and further develop this framework through an intervention, and to examine how the modeling approaches can be combined in practice. The paper discusses models under development with a radiotherapy center to explore the impact of altering treatment regimes for patients in response to the adoption of new, more complex, technology. The questions posed within this project lend themselves to exploration using both SD and DES and the work explores the potential to combine their use in a way which is both complementary and synergistic. The SD model developed in conjunction with the radiotherapy center is discussed along with the proposed development of a DES to provide further insight. The paper concludes with reflections on the experience to date and learning with regard to the proposed methodology.