Digital Equipment Corp. In the normal business day, of course, there's not much time for that. Typical managers rush to decisions, at best weighing a few options and looking ahead a couple of months. At worst, they live from crisis to crisis. The PCI software pushed teams of GE employees to finish a project within a certain budget and deadline, Mr. Carbone says. Mr. Carbone says that making the mistake with the computer has made him think twice before doing the same in real life.
Real life is what simulations try to replicate.
A spreadsheet, probably the most common manager's software tool, presents static, numerical calculations and is basically a time saver. If it's powerful, you lose your sense of time, you are transported. So simulations try to reproduce not only the numbers of business but also the human frailties and unexpected events that complicate working life. Many simulation tools, like those created by PCI, are used only in training. One such tool is Stella, created by High Performance for Apple computers, and designed to allow users to build into it their own scenarios, using graphic displays and other visual aids.