A Study on the Classification of Exhibition Contents Based on the Agent’s Behavior and the Applicability of Discrete Event Simulation in an Exhibition Space

Abstract

Establishment and focus: Exhibition facilities should reduce unnecessary viewing time by arranging the exhibition contents efficiently. Simulation verification during the design stage can help improve these facilities, but its application is limited because of the diversity of the contents and the uncertainty and variability of exhibition facilities. Discrete event simulation is a computational model that tracks data trends over time, and it is receiving the spotlight as a useful tool for identifying risks without having to stop the system and finding optimal solutions or improvement measures through continuous feedback. However, there are difficulties in applying discrete event simulation to exhibition facilities with high uncertainty because the discrete event simulation is only applicable to spaces where the procedures are formalized and the procedures of the content and agent are fixed. Therefore, this study first classified the exhibition contents and then applied pedestrian-based discrete event simulation to an exhibition space classified by content type to examine its usefulness.
System: Based on prior studies and the visitor(agent)’s behavior, the exhibition contents were defined and divided into three categories (viewing, participatory, experiential). The method was applied to a simplified small prototype model to examine the applicability of discrete event simulation for exhibition spaces. A simulation tool was developed for measuring the time required for viewing the contents as well as the number of visitors that can be accommodated during the exhibition hours. The objective was to analyze three alternatives that included the three types of exhibition contents while changing the order of viewing them. According to the results, the layout of the exhibition contents did not have a significant effect on the overall viewing time. However, the alternatives that adjusted the services resulted in significant improvements in all three layouts. This study found that discrete event simulation can be applied to uncertain and variable exhibition facilities if the exhibition contents can be classified and pedestrian circulation can be organized. However, further research will be required to subdivide exhibition types based on more cases of exhibition contents. Moreover, variables must be defined for converting the defined types into simulation objects.