Artificial intelligence and thinking
Organise, compare, check
Change the data, observe the results and ask which assumptions make the model valid.
Read the article: computational thinking in everyday lifeCalculations update as you change the values. This is not a prediction of reality: each experiment presents a simple model and its limits. All data stay in your browser.
1. Two activities: sequential or overlapping?
Activity A: put groceries away. Activity B: heat water while maintaining the necessary supervision. Any shared preparation time comes before both strategies.
Sequential—
With permitted overlap—
Time saved—
One second of animation represents one minute in the model. The initial grey time is shared by both strategies. Bars show start and end; the line indicates the current instant.
Overlap is possible only with compatible resources and no dependencies. Enabling the constraint makes the activities sequential again. Durations do not include unexpected events; safety comes before saving time.
2. Is the shortest queue really the fastest?
Count only customers and items still to be served ahead of you. The model uses the same service times at both checkouts and excludes your own purchase. Each customer requires a fixed time plus the time for their items.
Actual time also depends on payments, unexpected events and cashier speed. These are estimates, not guarantees. Items means the queue’s total, not items per customer.
3. How far has the project progressed?
Each stage contributes in proportion to its weight. Change weights and progress: the total is valid only if weights add up to 100%. There is no automatic normalisation.
| Stage | Weight (%) | Progress (%) | Contribution to total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demolition | — | ||
| Masonry | — | ||
| Services | — | ||
| Finishes | — | ||
| Testing | — |
Sum of weights—
Weighted progress—
Simple average (comparison)—
Contribution = weight × progress / 100; the total is the sum of contributions.
Weight expresses the chosen criterion, such as economic value: it does not automatically equal duration or number of tasks. The simple average assigns the same weight to all five stages.
Define the objective first; then choose the data, state the assumptions and check whether the result really answers the question.