Microsimulation

Microsimulation is the use of computerized analytical tools to perform analysis of activities such as highway traffic flowing through an intersection, financial transactions, or pathogens spreading disease through a population on the granularity level of individuals. Synonyms include microanalytic simulation and microscopic simulation. Microsimulation, with its emphasis on stochastic or rule-based structures, should not be confused with the similar complementary technique of multi-agent simulation, which focuses more on the behaviour of individuals.

For example, a traffic microsimulation model could be used to evaluate the effectiveness of lengthening a turn lane at an intersection, and thus help decide whether it is worth spending money on actually lengthening the lane.