Definition of Term: Design

In order to build an emulator for a simulator, we need data comprising a training sample of simulator runs. The training sample design is the set of points in the space of simulator inputs at which the simulator is run.

There are a number of related design contexts which arise in the MUCM toolkit.

• A validation sample design is a set of points in the input space at which additional simulator runs are made to validate the emulator.
• In the context of calibrating a simulator, we may design an observational study by specifying a set of points in the space of input values which we can control when making observations of the real-world process.
• Where we have more than one simulator available, a design may specify sets of points in the input spaces of the various simulators.
• For complex tasks using the emulator, a general solution is via simulated realisations of the output function \(f(\cdot)\). For this purpose we need a set of input configurations at which to simulate outputs, which we refer to as a realisation design.

Some general remarks on design options for the core problem are discussed in the alternatives page on training sample design for the core problem (AltCoreDesign).