4
J. Wittmann
Medicine as well knows indicators, e.g. the vital signs as a measure for the state
of a patient especially in intensive medicine (for example the wide range of patient
monitoring systems (Elliott and Coventry 2012). However, another interpretation
gains in importance with respect on sending alarms if the situation becomes instable
or dangerous. The Early-Warning-Score (HealthcareInstitute 2017; Helios-Kliniken
2017) provides an indicator for the over-all state of the patient and combines a list
of vital signs to a single value. Thus, the indicator excerpts the information of the n
vital signs and combines them to a single, highly aggregated measure.
So far, we know an indicator as an aggregating measure for at least partially
hidden or inaccessible system quantities. In the context of system analysis, modelling, and simulation, however, an indicator is required quite in the sense of medical
applications as a tool to sign whether the systems situation is normal, critical, or
catastrophic. The intention is to aggregate the “control panel” of the system (or
model) under observation with its lots of parameters (levels, tachometers, diagrams
. . . ) to one single value. The expression range of a traffic sign with its colors green,
yellow, and red is the desired level of aggregation for the system manager.
At the end of this short introduction stands the observation, that indicators
in modelling context loose the function of making hidden quantities visible and
measurable because the model description is man-made and virtual and, therefore,
transparent and accessible on every level. What remains is the aggregating and/or
ranking function of indicators, which should be discussed more in detail in the
following sections.
2 Functionality of Indicators
2.1 Typical Application Types for Indicators
Before we deal with the structure of indicators, a distinction should be made at
the application level as to which functional tasks are to be solved by indicators or
indicator systems. In the course of this paper it will be worked out that an exact
specification of the expected function of an indicator is the decisive key for an
effective and efficient use. Therefore, at this point, an (incomplete) list of possible
fields of application for indicators.
2.1.1 Warnings
A relatively simple requirement is to interpret the indicator or the current indicator
value as an indication of whether the current system status is within the normal range
or is cause for concern. In this case, exceeding a previously set limit will result in a
warning about the current system status.
J. Wittmann
Medicine as well knows indicators, e.g. the vital signs as a measure for the state
of a patient especially in intensive medicine (for example the wide range of patient
monitoring systems (Elliott and Coventry 2012). However, another interpretation
gains in importance with respect on sending alarms if the situation becomes instable
or dangerous. The Early-Warning-Score (HealthcareInstitute 2017; Helios-Kliniken
2017) provides an indicator for the over-all state of the patient and combines a list
of vital signs to a single value. Thus, the indicator excerpts the information of the n
vital signs and combines them to a single, highly aggregated measure.
So far, we know an indicator as an aggregating measure for at least partially
hidden or inaccessible system quantities. In the context of system analysis, modelling, and simulation, however, an indicator is required quite in the sense of medical
applications as a tool to sign whether the systems situation is normal, critical, or
catastrophic. The intention is to aggregate the “control panel” of the system (or
model) under observation with its lots of parameters (levels, tachometers, diagrams
. . . ) to one single value. The expression range of a traffic sign with its colors green,
yellow, and red is the desired level of aggregation for the system manager.
At the end of this short introduction stands the observation, that indicators
in modelling context loose the function of making hidden quantities visible and
measurable because the model description is man-made and virtual and, therefore,
transparent and accessible on every level. What remains is the aggregating and/or
ranking function of indicators, which should be discussed more in detail in the
following sections.
2 Functionality of Indicators
2.1 Typical Application Types for Indicators
Before we deal with the structure of indicators, a distinction should be made at
the application level as to which functional tasks are to be solved by indicators or
indicator systems. In the course of this paper it will be worked out that an exact
specification of the expected function of an indicator is the decisive key for an
effective and efficient use. Therefore, at this point, an (incomplete) list of possible
fields of application for indicators.
2.1.1 Warnings
A relatively simple requirement is to interpret the indicator or the current indicator
value as an indication of whether the current system status is within the normal range
or is cause for concern. In this case, exceeding a previously set limit will result in a
warning about the current system status.