Calibration and Validation of Models

• For a given program, while common sense verification is possible, strict verification of a model is intractable, very much similar to the proof of correctness of a program.

• Validation is a process of comparing the model and its behavior to the real system and its behavior.

• Calibration is the iterative process of comparing the model with real system, revising the model if necessary, comparing again, until a model is accepted (validated).

• Three-step approach in the validation process.
  1. Build a model that has high face validity.
  2. Validate model assumptions
  3. Compare the model input-output transformations to corresponding input-output transformation for the real system.
  The three-step approach is discussed next.