Tasks Assignment For Nurse Roster Planning Problem

[Wizard]

Hi everyone, 

I have a requirement to add tasks assignment to nurse roster planning problem. Currently the assignment was just for employee, and I need to add the second planning variable, that is task. There are one or two tasks for each shift, if the task is a FULL type, then it should only be one in ShiftAssignment, but if the task is SHORT or MAIN, then it could be assign together in shift assigment. Should I add two or three new planning variables? 

The other question is if I set nullable for each new planning variables, will it make the search space bigger?

Any comment and opinion will be appreciated.

Best regards.

[Wizard]

Hello,

Is there anyone who could help me with some advice or opinion? I also post it to stackoverflow (http://stackoverflow.com/questions/43402505/add-three-new-planning-variables-to-nurse-roster-solution).. Please kindly help me. Thanks and regards.

[Chris T]

You can simply combine the planning variables and add an attribute that indicates if the task is full or short.  A rule would then constrain to make certain that too many tasks are not assigned.   Perhaps your problem may allow multiple short tasks to be assigned - and the rule could account for that as well.

Multiple variables complicates things.  I'd avoid it unless you have other attributes that require that they be separate.

[Osamu Kuniyasu]

Hi Wizard,

Task is the planning entity which has an employee planning variable for the task assignment problem.
and add rules as Chiris T mentioned.

I'm not sure if
 - Task may have due date and can be done early date(soft) or late date (hard)
 - Skill constraints
 - Task duration consideration how can multiple tasks are mixed
 - fairness
 - Tasks can over-wrap

Wizard, I would recommend to check the some patterns Geoffrey-san mentioned if you have not read it.
https://www.optaplanner.org/blog/2015/12/01/TimeSchedulingDesignPatterns.html

hope it helps,

Osamu Kuniyasu


2017年4月27日木曜日 6時37分55秒 UTC+9 Chris T:

[Wizard]

Hi Chris, 

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Yes, I know multiple variables is a complicated things, but it was one of the client requirements, so it is a must. My current work was based on Nurse Roster Planning Problem Example from Optaplanner, and I got some confuse in writing the move class, especially for the swap move, it consist of 4 class : 

1. ShiftAssignmentPillarPartSwapMoveFactory
   
2. ShiftAssignmentSequenceSwitchLength2MoveFactory
   
3. ShiftAssignmentSequenceSwitchLength3MoveFactory
   
4. ShiftAssignmentSwapMoveFactory
   

When I look into ShiftAssignmentSwapMoveFactory class, it only swap 2 ShiftAssignment objects, but I not really sure what the three others classes were use for, do you have any idea? 

Thanks and regards.

[Wizard]

Hi Osamu,

My current work was based on Nurse Rostering Example from Optaplanner, not the Task Assignment Example. What I trying to achieve is, add 2 planning variables, shortTask and mainTask, which will be changed during solving phase by Optaplanner solver. But to make it working correctly, I encounter some problem, especially writing the correct Move class. Please read my previous answer for Chris, about what I confused for, as the documentation on this Move class was actually poor in my oponion, I think it should be more explanation about this chapter, and more examples too.

Thanks and regards.