Start simulation and run scenario testing

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 2 minutes to read

    • Complete the simulation assessment questionnaire to provide the statistical model with the input values required to run the simulation.

    Before you begin

    Role required: sn_oper_res.admin, sn_oper_res.manager

    About this task

    A Simulation Assessment record is generated automatically for the selected service. The assessment is owned by the analyst or subject-matter expert assigned to complete it. The assessment opens with the Scenario Understanding section, which collects the input values required by the statistical model.

    Note:
    This task describes the Statistical Modelling method. If the scenario analysis uses the Manual method, the Scenario Testing step presents an SME assessment template instead of a simulation, and the playbook omits the Reference Data and Results steps. For more information, see Scenario analysis.

    Procedure

    1. Navigate to All > Operational Resilience > Scenario Analysis and open the Scenario Analysis record form.
    2. In the Playbook stage panel, select Scenario Testing.
      The Smart Assessment template card opens up.
    3. Select the Simulation Assessment card for the service.

      The Simulation Assessment card is shown in the example.

      Simulation Assessment card.
      The Simulation Assessment opens.
    4. Answer all required questions in the assessment.

      The Input assessment is shown in the example.

      Simulation assessment input form.
      Note:
      If required questions are unanswered, Submit is blocked and validation highlights the missing answers.
      • Q1 — How many simulation runs are required? (Simulation count input; default 100,000; back-filled by System.)
      • Q2 — How many loss incidents do you expect to occur over the chosen time horizon (typically one year)? (Lambda — frequency input.)
      • Q3 — What is the typical financial loss per incident over the chosen time horizon? (Severity Mu — mean severity input.)
      • Q4 — What are the variable losses (sigma)? (Severity Sigma — standard deviation of severity.)
      • Q5 — What is the minimum credible financial loss that could result from a single incident? (Min loss.)
      • Q6 — What is the maximum credible financial loss that could result from a single incident? (Max loss.)
      • Q7 — What level of financial impact can the service tolerate? (Loss tolerance; sourced from the linked service's impact tolerance and may display as 0 until the service tolerance is set.)
      • Q8 — What is the selected percentile for tail risk metrics to be calculated in the output? (Selected percentile, for example 90% or 99%.)
    5. Select Submit on the Input questionnaire.

      A confirmation dialog opens.

    6. Select the confirmation check box, then select Submit to commit the answers.

      A Successfully submitted success dialog confirms that the questionnaire is saved.

      Submit confirmation dialog and Cancel and Submit buttons. Success dialog with a green check mark and the message 'Successfully submitted. The sample has been successfully processed.'
    7. Return to the Scenario Testing step and select Start Simulation.
      Note:
      The Start Simulation button is enabled only when all Simulation Assessment cards on the Scenario Testing step show Completed status. Before attempting to start the simulation, you must complete and submit the assessment.

      The simulation runs and results are returned before you can proceed. After the simulation run, a success banner Simulation Completed Successfully is displayed, the Mark as complete button on the Scenario Testing card becomes enabled, and the result values are written to the output assessment shown on the Results step. The Reopen Assessment button remains visible so that you can change input answers and rerun the simulation any number of times before you select Mark as complete.

      Scenario Testing step after Questionnaire is submitted, showing the Simulation Assessment card, the Reopen Assessment button, the Start Simulation button enabled, and Mark as Complete button visible but inactive.
    8. Select Reopen Assessment to reopen the assessment.
    9. Select Mark as complete to mark the scenario testing step as complete.

    Result

    The simulation assessment is submitted and the simulation is running. Results are available in the Results step when the simulation completes. For information on reviewing results and making a treatment decision, see Review results and decide the treatment.