Skip to main content
Download PDF

An improved MIP-based approach for a multi-skill workforce scheduling problem

Journal of Scheduling volume 15, pages 363–380 (2012)Cite this article

Abstract

This paper deals with scheduling complex tasks with an inhomogeneous set of resources. The problem is to assign technicians to tasks with multi-level skill requirements. Here, the requirements are merely the presence of a set of technicians that possess the necessary capabilities. An additional complication is that a set of combined technicians stays together for the duration of a work day. This typically applies to scheduling of maintenance and installation operations. We build schedules by repeated application of a flexible matching model that selects tasks to be processed and forms groups of technicians assigned to combinations of tasks. The underlying mixed integer programming (MIP) model is capable of revising technician-task allocations and performs very well, especially in the case of rare skills.

References

  • Avramidis, N. A., Chan, W., Gendreau, M., L’Ecuyer, P., & Pisacane, O. (2010). Optimizing daily agent scheduling in a multi-skill call center. European Journal of Operational Research, 200(3), 822–832.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ballou, D., & Tayi, G. (1996). A decision aid for the selection and scheduling of software maintenance projects. IEEE Transactions on Systems Man and Cybernetics Part A Systems and Humans, 26(2), 203–212.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bellenguez, M. O., Canon, C., & Neron, E. (2005). Ordonnancement des formations des tele-oprateurs dans un centre de contacts clients. In Proc. ROADEF 2005, Tours, France.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bellenguez, M. O. (2006). Methods to solve multi-skill project scheduling problem. PhD thesis, Francois Rabelais University, Tours, France.

  • Bellenguez, M. O., & Neron, E. (2004). Lower bounds for the multi-skill project scheduling problem with hierarchical levels of skills. In Proceedings of Practice and Theory of Automated Timetabling (PATAT2004), Pittsburgh, PA, USA (pp. 429–432).

    Google Scholar 

  • Bellenguez, M. O., & Neron, E. (2007). A branch-and-bound method for solving multi-skill project scheduling problem. RAIRO Operations Research, 41, 155–170.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brucker, P., Drexl, A., Möhring, R., Neumann, K., & Pesch, E. (1999). Resource-constrained project scheduling: notation, classification, models, and methods. European Journal of Operational Research, 112(1), 3–41.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cai, X., & Li, K. N. (2000). A genetic algorithm for scheduling staff of mixed skills under multi-criteria. European Journal of Operational Research, 125(2), 359–369.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cordeau, J. F., Laporte, G., Pasin, F., & Ropke, S. (2010). Scheduling technicians and tasks in a telecommunication company. Journal of Scheduling, 13(4), 393–409.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Reyck, B., & Herroelen, W. S. (1999). The multi-mode resource-constrained project scheduling problem with generalized precedence relations. European Journal of Operational Research, 119(2), 538–556.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Drezet, L.-E., & Billaut, J.-C. (2008). A project scheduling problem with labour constraints and time-dependent activities requirements. International Journal of Production Economics, 112, 217–225.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dutot, P., Laugier, A., & Bustos, A. (2006). Technicians and interventions scheduling for telecommunications. In Problem description of ROADEF 2007 challenge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Estellon, B., Gardi, F., & Nouioua, K. (2009). High-performance local search for task scheduling with human resource allocation. Lecture notes in computer science (vol. 5752, pp. 1–15).

    Google Scholar 

  • Garey, M. R., & Johnson, D. S. (1979). Computers and intractability: a guide to the theory of NP-completeness. San Francisco: Freeman (p. 221).

    Google Scholar 

  • Gutjahr, W. J., Katzensteiner, S., Reiter, P., Stummer, C., & Denk, M. (2008). Competence-driven project portfolio selection, scheduling and staff assignment. Central European Journal of Operations Research, 16(3), 281–306.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hartmann, S., & Briskorn, D. (2010). A survey of variants and extensions of the resource-constrained project scheduling problem. Central European Journal of Operations Research, 207, 1–14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heimerl, C., & Kolisch, R. (2010). Scheduling and staffing multiple projects with a multi-skilled workforce. OR Spectrum, 32(2), 343–368.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hurkens, C. A. J. (2009). Incorporating the strength of MIP modeling in schedule construction. RAIRO Operations Research, 43, 409–420.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li, H., & Womer, K. (2009). Scheduling projects with multi-skilled personnel by a hybrid MILP/CP benders decomposition algorithm. Journal of Scheduling, 12(3), 281–298.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Valls, V., Perez, A., & Quintanilla, S. (2009). Skill workforce scheduling in service centers. European Journal of Operational Research, 193(3), 791–804.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu, M. C., & Sun, S. H. (2006). A project scheduling and staff assignment model considering learning effect. The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 28, 1190–1195.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yoshimura, M., Fujimi, Y., Izui, K., & Nishiwaki, S. (2006). Decision-making support system for human resource allocation in product development projects. International Journal of Production Research, 44(5), 831–848.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, TU Eindhoven, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands

    Murat Fırat & C. A. J. Hurkens

Authors
  1. Murat Fırat
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. C. A. J. Hurkens
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Murat Fırat.

Additional information

Supported by France Telecom/TUE Research agreement No. 46145963.

Rights and permissions

Open Access This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0), which permits any noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and source are credited.

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Fırat, M., Hurkens, C.A.J. An improved MIP-based approach for a multi-skill workforce scheduling problem. J Sched 15, 363–380 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10951-011-0245-x

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10951-011-0245-x

Keywords

  • Project scheduling
  • Multi-skill workforce scheduling
  • Mixed integer programming