How do you communicate and visualize the results of parameter space methods to stakeholders or clients?

1 Know your audience

The first step in communicating and visualizing the results of parameter space methods is to know your audience. Who are they, what are their goals and expectations, what is their level of technical knowledge, and what are their main concerns or questions? Depending on your audience, you may need to adjust the level of detail, the terminology, the format, and the tone of your presentation. For example, if you are talking to a manager or a client, you may want to focus on the big picture, the benefits, the risks, and the recommendations, rather than the mathematical details. If you are talking to a peer or a colleague, you may want to go deeper into the methods, the assumptions, the limitations, and the alternatives.

2 Use simple and relevant metrics

The second step in communicating and visualizing the results of parameter space methods is to use simple and relevant metrics that capture the essence of your analysis. Metrics are quantitative or qualitative measures that summarize the performance, stability, or robustness of your system under uncertainty. They can be scalar, vector, or matrix values, depending on the dimensionality of your parameter space and the complexity of your system. For example, you may use metrics such as gain margin, phase margin, H-infinity norm, or sensitivity function to describe the robustness of your system. You may also use metrics such as worst-case scenario, probability of failure, or confidence interval to describe the uncertainty of your system. Whatever metrics you choose, make sure they are meaningful, understandable, and relevant to your audience and your system.

3 Use appropriate and effective visualizations

The third step in communicating and visualizing the results of parameter space methods is to use appropriate and effective visualizations that illustrate your metrics and your analysis. Visualizations are graphical representations that show the relationship between your parameters, inputs, outputs, and performance criteria. They can be plots, charts, diagrams, maps, or animations, depending on the type and amount of data you have. For example, you may use plots such as Bode plots, Nyquist plots, or root locus plots to show the stability and robustness of your system. You may also use charts such as histograms, scatter plots, or box plots to show the distribution and variation of your parameters or outputs. Whatever visualizations you use, make sure they are clear, accurate, and consistent with your metrics and your message.

4 Explain the assumptions and limitations

The fourth step in communicating and visualizing the results of parameter space methods is to explain the assumptions and limitations of your analysis. Assumptions are the conditions or simplifications that you make to apply parameter space methods to your system. Limitations are the constraints or uncertainties that affect the validity or reliability of your analysis. For example, you may assume that your system is linear, time-invariant, or deterministic, or that your parameters are independent, normally distributed, or bounded. You may also acknowledge that your analysis is subject to sampling errors, modeling errors, or computational errors. Whatever assumptions and limitations you have, make sure you state them clearly, justify them logically, and discuss their implications for your results and conclusions.

5 Provide recommendations and alternatives

The fifth step in communicating and visualizing the results of parameter space methods is to provide recommendations and alternatives for your system design. Recommendations are the suggestions or actions that you propose to improve or optimize your system performance, stability, or robustness under uncertainty. Alternatives are the options or scenarios that you consider or compare to evaluate your system design. For example, you may recommend that your system needs a controller redesign, a parameter tuning, or a robustification technique to enhance its robustness. You may also present alternatives such as different controller types, parameter ranges, or performance specifications to show the trade-offs or sensitivities of your system design. Whatever recommendations and alternatives you have, make sure you support them with evidence, rationale, and benefits.

6 Engage your audience and invite feedback

The sixth and final step in communicating and visualizing the results of parameter space methods is to engage your audience and invite feedback. Engagement is the process of capturing and maintaining the attention and interest of your audience. Feedback is the response or reaction that you receive from your audience. For example, you may engage your audience by using stories, analogies, examples, or questions to relate your analysis to their context or experience. You may also invite feedback by asking for opinions, suggestions, questions, or comments to elicit their input or feedback. Whatever engagement and feedback strategies you use, make sure you are respectful, courteous, and open-minded.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?