SSCM4833

Discrete Event Simulation

ACTIVITY
CYCLE
DIAGRAM
 BASIC CONCEPT

▪ Activity Cycle Diagrams (ACDs) are one way of modelling the

interactions of system objects and are particularly useful for
systems with a strong queuing structure.

▪ACDs only use two symbols which describe the life cycle of
the system’s objects or entities:
 Queues – passive state that involve no co-operation
between different classes of entity; a state in which the
entity waits for something to happen.

 Activities – involves the co-operation of different classes of

entity.
 BASIC CONCEPT

▪ Life cycle
 defined for each entity type.
 consists of queues and activities

▪ A complete ACD consists of a combination of all the life cycles

for each entities involved in a system.
MAIN ITEMS IN
ACD

Entities: retain their value /

features throughout the
system
• Permanent entities
• Temporary entities

Rules Activities: when entity is in

• Closed loops: all cycles should active state
come • Co-operation between entities
• Alternating activities and queues. • Predefined duration

Queues: when entity is in a

dead state
• Waiting to go
• Conditional duration
THE SYMBOLS IN
ACD

activity

queue
DEVELOPING THE
ACD

• Specify the model domain

1

• List all entities and their key attributes

2

• For each entity, define its individual closed cycle of

3 activity – queue – activity.

• Merge the individual activity cycles

4

• Verify the logic of the diagram and amend as

5 necessary
 THE CAFÉ
EXAMPLE

A café has three entities called “customer”, “waiter”

and “glass”. The customer either drinks or waits to
drink. The waiter either pours a drink or is idle. The
glass is either used to drink from, is empty, is
poured into by the waiter or is full waiting to be
drunk from.

Your task:
Summarise the states for each entity from
the given information above.
THE CAFÉ
EXAMPLE:
THE ENTITIES

Entity State Symbol

Drink
Customer
Wait

Pour
Waiter
Idle

Drink from
Glass
Empty

Pour into

Full
THE CAFÉ
EXAMPLE:
THE LIFECYCLES

Drink from

wait idle

customer waiter
full glass empty

drink pour

Pour into
 The ACD illustrates logically that
THE CAFÉ the activity DRINK cannot start
EXAMPLE: unless a customer is in the queue
WAIT and a glass is in the queue
THE ACD FULL. Similarly the activity POUR
cannot start unless a waiter is in
the queue IDLE and a glass is in
the queue EMPTY
full

glass
waiter
customer

wait drink pour idle

empty
 THE IMPORTANCE
OF ACD

Structured Walk- • Develop accurate understanding of the dynamics of the

throughs problem domain.

• Can be used to identify the crucial event combination and

Verification Planning the expected outcomes from these combinations.
• This can be included in the test programme.

• If a comprehensive ACD has been developed, it seems

Conversion to
natural to translate this to the process paradigm for
Process Orientation
computer implementation.
 THE BROKEN MACHINE

Entity States Symbol

Machine Running
EXERCISE : Broken
Being repaired
1. List the entity and its Waiting to run
activity.
Mechanic Repairing
2. Draw the life cycle for Idle
each entity.
3. Draw the ACD of the
system.
 THE PRODUCTION PLAN

Entity States

Machine Running
Broken waiting for electrician
Electrician disconnects machine
EXERCISE : Waiting heavy gang
Heavy gauge pull out machine
Waiting for mechanic
1. List the entity and its Being repaired
activity. Waiting for heavy gang
Heavy gang puts back machine
2. Draw the life cycle for Waiting for electrician
Electrician connects machine
each entity. Ready
3. Draw the ACD of the
Electrician Disconnect
system. Connect
Idle

Heavy Pull out

gang Put back
Idle

Mechanic Repair
Idle
 THE PRODUCTION PLAN

Entity States

Machine Running
Broken waiting for electrician
Electrician disconnects machine
EXERCISE : Waiting heavy gang
Heavy gauge pull out machine
Waiting for mechanic
1. List the entity and its Being repaired
activity. Waiting for heavy gang
Heavy gang puts back machine
2. Draw the life cycle for Waiting for electrician
Electrician connects machine
each entity. Ready
3. Draw the ACD of the
Electrician Disconnect
system. Connect
Idle

Heavy Pull out

gang Put back
Idle

Mechanic Repair
Idle
 THE RESTAURANT

A supermarket has 2 service bays.

There is one queue at the service
bay, first come first served.
Customers arrive intermittently and
EXERCISE : spend some time shopping before
1. List the entity and its being served by one of the serves.
activity. Customer who on arrival see a
2. Draw the life cycle for queue of more than one person
each entity. waiting to be served (plus two being
3. Draw the ACD of the served) leave.
system.
 THE LAUNDERETTE

Customers arrive in a launderette

and queue for one of 7 washing
machines (no capacity problems!).
On completion of washing, the
EXERCISE : customer puts the washing into a
1. List the entity and its basket (if one of the 12 is available)
activity. and carries the washing to a drier
2. Draw the life cycle for (there are 2 dryers).
each entity.
3. Draw the ACD of the
system.
THE END