NASSA’s open library
of archaeological ABM modules

overview and examples

available at https://andros-spica.github.io/CAA-DE-NL-FL-Angourakis-et-al-2022/
https://andros-spica.github.io/CAA-DE-NL-FL-Angourakis-et-al-2022/index.html?print-pdf (printable version)
Logos

Network for Agent-based modelling of
Socio-ecological systems in Archaeology

Scientific Research Network (WOG) - FWO, 2020-2025
NASSA missions:
  • Create and maintain an open library of modular components for agent-based modelling (ABM) in archaeology
  • Improve reproducibility and re-usability in the field
  • Smooth communication with archaeologists (and beyond)
  • Facilitate learning processes of next generations
    •
    Logos
    Infraestructure

    Action fronts
    • Library infraestructure
    • Module submissions
    • Module curation
    • Promotion
    Contact
    Dries Daems
    to join us!

    NASSA's Library | Concept

    • Collection of modules, not models
    • Enforcing common but flexible standards
    • Aimed at all levels of model developers
    • Primarily oriented to archaeology
      (interdisciplinary, but usable by archaeologists)
    • Substantially different from other open science initiatives (e.g. CoMSES)
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    An open source ecosystem

    NASSA ecosystem

    Module submission | "Gist"

    • Procedure still to be formalised, so for now there are only a few practical steps are required
    • Minimal knowledge of Git and GitHub is welcomed but not necessary
    • Submissions are reviewed by NASSA members to comply with NASSA schema and minimal standards (no gate-keeping!)

    Module submission | Code

    Prepare the module code keeping in mind reproducibility and re-usability
    • Naming clarity
    • Single-responsibility principle
    • No magic numbers
    • Exposed inputs and outputs
    • Keep it basic (minimise dependencies)
    • Commentary in code

    Module submission | Documentation

    Prepare documentation files
    • README.md
      • Human readable free text presenting the module
      • Includes title, author, version, etc.
      • Hyperlinks to documentation and demonstration materials
      • Is used in the generation of a module webpage (HTML)
    README

    Module submission | Documentation

    Prepare documentation files
    • Variable lists, diagrams, pseudocode
    • Screenshots
    • Demonstrations, tutorials
    • Additional documents
      (e.g., ODD, if applicable)
    docs tbc

    Module submission | file structure

    schema-min
    https://github.com/Archaeology-ABM/NASSA-schema
    schema-max

    Module submission | NASSA.yml

    • Defines the module as a library item (metadata) and is used for generating webpage
    • Human- and machine-readable (YAML)
    • Module ID and title
    • Module type: algorithm or submodel
      (whether it contains modules or not)
    • Authorship additive and role-specific
    • References (BibTex) grouped as module references and use cases
    https://github.com/Archaeology-ABM/NASSA-schema
    NASSA.yml print NASSA.yml print

    Module submission | NASSA.yml

    • Versioning and progressive development
    • One-module, one-license
    • Semantic tags
      • programming
      • modelling
      • domain (subject, period, region)
    • Inputs and outputs
      • name
      • type
      • unit
      • description
    https://github.com/Archaeology-ABM/NASSA-schema
    NASSA.yml print NASSA.yml print

    Module submission | Validation


    See instructions at nassa-hs repository

    nassa-hs print

    Otherwise,
    another NASSA member/author
    may be available to perform the validation
    and submission in your behalf.

    Module submission | Publication

    There are currently two options to submit a module:
    • Directly,
      via a GitHub "pull request"
    • Indirectly,
      sending files to NASSA members
      (attachment or download link)
    submit

    Library Web interface

    library webpage
    https://archaeology-abm.github.io/NASSA-modules
    Logos
    Scientific Research Network (WOG) - FWO, 2020-2025

    Acknowledgements

    Thanks to all NASSA members,
    especially to
    Clemens Schmid (Max Plank Institute for Geoanthropology)
    who has made most presented here possible!

    CAA DE/NL/FL 2022
    University of Cologne-Fritz Thyssen Stiftung
    Angourakis et al.
    5-7 October 2022
    https://andros-spica.github.io/ CAA-DE-NL-FL-Angourakis-et-al-2022/