Innovation in scientific modelling and simulation as infrastructure assembly

We propose a generalised framework to describe the development of scientific models and simulations as infrastructure assembly. We take our inspiration from Paul Edwards’ classic account of the emergence of Climate Science as the creation layer by layer of supportive sociotechnical infrastructures over timescales measured in decades leading to a mature simulation based-discipline able to make authoritative predictions with a significant impact upon policy formation. Our framework isolates important infrastructural components that appear to be common in modelling and simulation based science across a number of domains, the sophistication of which we use as indices to describe the maturity of a given modelling approach. This enables us to explain otherwise confusing reports from the literature that alternately describe modelling and simulation based science to be in crisis, or else in a healthy state based upon the degree that projects studied manage to implement robust software engineering and testing practices. Equating innovation in scientific models with long cycles of infrastructure assembly enables us to distinguish between those modelling approaches that have run into real difficulties, and those that are merely less mature, enabling better targeting of remedial interventions.