A Hybrid Agent-Based and System Dynamics Framework for Modelling Project Execution and Technology Maturity in Early-Stage R&D

This paper presents a hybrid approach to predict the evolution of technological maturity in R and D projects, using the oil and gas sector as an example. Integrating System Dynamics (SD) and Agent Based Modelling (ABM) allows the proposed multi level framework to capture uncertainties in work effort, team size, and project duration, which influence technological progress. While AB SD hybrid models are established in other fields, their use in R and D remains limited. The model combines system level feedback structures governing work phases, rework cycles, and duration with decentralised agents such as team members, tasks, and controllers, whose interactions generate emergent project dynamics. A base case scenario analysed early stage innovation projects with 15 parallel tasks over 156 weeks. A comparative sequential scenario showed an 88 percent reduction in rework duration. A second scenario assessed mixed parallel sequential task structures with varying team sizes. In parallel configurations, increasing team size reduced project duration and improved task completion, with optimal results for teams of four to five members. These findings align with empirical evidence showing that moderate team expansion enhances coordination efficiency without excessive communication overhead. However, larger teams may decrease performance due to communication complexity and management delays. Overall, the model outputs and framework align with expert understanding, supporting their validity as quantitative tools for analysing resource allocation, scheduling efficiency, and technology maturity progression.