Co-authored with Rossi, M
Even though hundreds of modeling methods are in existence today, practitioners and researchers are zealously “producing” new modeling methods. The “blooming” production of modeling methods is not the problem; the lack of standardized techniques for evaluating them is. To complicate the matter even further, most of the modeling methods have been introduced based on common sense and intuition of the methods’ developers. Many of these methods lack theoretical foundations and empirical evidence to demonstrate their worthiness. With the current state of affairs, studies on evaluation of modeling methods have become necessary and critical. Comparing modeling methods provides us with the necessary knowledge and understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of each method. This knowledge can also guide us in our quest for better modeling methods. This paper reviews the various evaluation techniques used by both researchers and practitioners. The evaluation techniques are categorized into three classifications: feature comparison, theoretical and conceptual evaluation, and empirical evaluation. This research also analyzes the underlying philosophies and assumptions of these evaluation techniques.
