The Averaging Problem
When a centralised controller sees only the mean, local crises become invisible — and the response makes things worse.
Centralized Controller View
100.0
System Mean Stability
Node-level data is hidden — you see only the average.
Cumulative Stability Deficit
Total deficit: 0
How this works
A shock hits nodes 2 and 7 at time step 20. In centralized mode, the controller sees only the national mean (with noise) and applies a uniform policy with long latency. The mean barely moves, so the response is weak — while healthy nodes are disrupted.
In distributed mode, each node observes its own local state with low latency and applies its own correction. The crisis is contained, and healthy nodes remain stable.
Press Run to see the simulation. In centralized mode, after it finishes, click Reveal Node Details to see what the dashboard hid.