About microsimulation

We use simulation to model population changes over time, and to test 'what-if' scenarios.

COMPASS has been a strong proponent of microsimulation techniques for many years. Our early efforts in the area brought international visitors Nigel Gilbert, Klaus Troitzsch, and Martin Spielauer, and led to two projects headlined by PhD theses using New Zealand Census data.

We continued in this area with a project focusing on the early life-course and utilising longitudinal studies in New Zealand, the Christchurch Health & Development Study and the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health & Development Study. The main output of this was a piece of software connecting Java and R to enable end-users to test what-if scenarios around policy direction.

Yet more recent work with the advent of "R Shiny" has made our outputs more capable and user friendly, and we look forward to yet further improvements in the future.