Understated implications of objected-oriented simulation and modeling

There are many unresolved questions and issues for the modeling process before the object-oriented paradigm moves from the methodology of the software programmer into the worldview of the systems engineer. The author attempts to identify some of these implications and highlight some of the specific areas which require resolution and further study. Object-oriented simulation and modeling currently follows traditional process decomposition in formulating its base and lumped models. The object-oriented paradigm is principally used in development of the associated software model. Use of object-oriented decomposition to develop base and lumped models holds the potential to extend the benefits of extensibility and reusability to these fundamental models. Additionally, such an approach may provide the mechanism to address the analysis of complex, highly integrated systems. Impeding this potential is the lack of an established methodology for object identification and the general lack of knowledge concerning design tradeoffs in object-oriented model development