What are the best ways to document and report simulation and testing processes?

The statement you provided outlines an important step in the process of documenting. Defining Purpose and Scope is the initial step in any simulation or testing project. It involves clarifying and establishing the goals, objectives, and the boundaries of what the simulation or testing will encompass. Clear Statement of Objectives is crucial to articulate what you want to achieve through the simulation or testing. These objectives serve as a benchmark for evaluating the success of the project. Identifying the assumptions made during the project and any limitations in terms of resources, data, or other factors is essential. This provides transparency and helps stakeholders understand the constraints of the project.

The first and utmost goal in simulation and testing is to reduce product time to market. For that reason every single result found need to be always documented to help other engineers to improve their design as both, simulation and testing are the validation process of the design. A well defined purpose of the simulation and good definition and understanding of requirements leads to better simulation results.

From experience, one thing I've found helpful in defining the purpose of simulation projects is to initiate a detailed project kickoff meeting with all stakeholders involved. This meeting serves as an opportunity to align everyone's expectations and clarify the project's goals, assumptions, and constraints from the very beginning. By involving team members, engineers, and decision-makers, we ensure that everyone has a clear understanding of what needs to be achieved. This meeting should be concluded by a written plan and be shared with everyone. This collaborative approach streamlines the documentation process and fosters a sense of shared responsibility for project success.

Whatever your goals are, your work will be leveraged in various ways. Limitations should be clear and a good way to understand them is to consider your assumptions carefully. If you state expectation ahead of results, reader will typically understand your process better and execute their own judgement for their own case.

Selecting the right format and style for documentation and reporting is crucial, but it's equally important to consider the ease of keeping them up to date. Aerospace projects often evolve, and the documentation should evolve with them. That's why I prefer professional typesetting solutions like LaTeX or Markdown. These formats not only allow for precise and elegant document creation but also make updates a breeze. With a simple adjustment to the source file, you can seamlessly incorporate changes, ensuring that your documentation stays current with minimal effort. This approach aligns with the dynamic nature of aerospace engineering, where adaptability and accuracy are paramount.

Abstract is essential. Write it at the end. Write it from scratch. References. Others will build on top of your work and to address their challenges you can ensure they can pursue answers through to your inputs.

In my experience, the presentation of simulation and testing results holds paramount importance. Effective communication is achieved through a multifaceted approach. Firstly, I employ compelling visualizations and 3D simulations that succinctly convey the key insights. These visuals serve as powerful tools for conveying complex data in an easily digestible format. Furthermore, I complement these visual elements with precise numerical results that substantiate the findings, enhancing the credibility of the presented information. Additionally, it's crucial to anchor the results within the context of industry standards and codes. By doing so, we not only validate the simulations but also demonstrate their applicability to real-world scenarios.

Usually useful to review with lower level engineers, because they capture needs of many who will use your documentation and high end users can infer detail. Ensure another set of eyes for review, no matter your experience.

In aerospace, we work together to carefully document how we simulate and test things. We create clear step-by-step guides, plans, and charts to make sure everything is understood and follow the rules and regulations. We focus on collecting good information, keeping track of changes, and making sure we're following the right guidelines. We also check our work with each other and store everything in a safe place. Our goal is to make sure our documents are top-notch, so everyone can trust that what we do is accurate, reliable, and exceeds the minimum standards.