Bechtel SAIC chose Analytica on the basis of an independent comparison of 12 competing software packages, commissioned from Robert Kenley, PhD. His 16-page study recommended against spreadsheet add-ins because of the need for computational efficiency in uncertainty analysis as well as the need for simplicity and flexibility in managing multidimensional arrays. The study made Analytica its sole recommendation based on its array-handling, influence diagrams, rich function set, database access, ability to handle time series, and the quality of its documentation: “Analytica has an exceptional tutorial, a very good user guide, and developed the user’s skill level to the point where models could be developed immediately.”
Jim Nail, the Project Leader, said “Development using other tools would have been a lot slower and provided less capability. The way Analytica handles multidimensional arrays is a huge advantage over spreadsheets. The arrays of up to six dimensions would be virtually unmanageable in a spreadsheet, especially for quality control. We are so pleased with Analytica that we’re recommending it for several other major projects at Bechtel SAIC.”