Design and Deployment of a Simulation Platform: Case Study of an Agent-Based Model for Youth Suicide Prevention

Research has examined the process of engaging end-users in co-designing a simulation model and using it within workplace settings. In contrast, few studies document the software development aspect of creating, packaging, and deploying a simulation platform that satisfies end-users' needs. In this case study, we detail these aspects regarding a platform involving Agent-Based Modeling for youth suicide prevention. Goals and constraints are detailed in three categories of needs, each showing how competing demands are addressed via software solutions: 1) data, encompassing data security (e.g., no direct access to individual-level data) and data updates (e.g., changing a model's initialization without coding expertise); 2) deployment, to satisfy security protocols (e.g., secure intranet communications) and the end-users' experience (e.g., ease of installation); 3) accessibility, ensuring that individuals with impairments are not excluded from using simulations. By presenting practical solutions to each category, our case study supports modelers in addressing their own deployment needs.