A Decision Support System for Strategic, Tactical and Operational Visit Planning for on-the-Road Personnela DSS for Strategic, Tactical and Operational Visit Planning for on-the-Road Personnel

Abstract

The use of a decision support system (DSS) for efficiently optimising and managing field workers' visits is discussed. This tool was designed after years of consulting experience and algorithmic research. It includes not only an innovative memetic algorithm to solve very large problems with realistic features and constraints, but also analytic tools and mapping capabilities to compare scenarios. As practitioners, we include some insights from case studies done at strategic, tactical, and operational decision levels. The system solves scenarios at all three decision levels simultaneously, not sequentially. The empirical studies highlight some misconceptions that are present in industry in planning visits for on-the-road personnel activities. OPSOMMINGDie gebruik van 'n besluitnemingsondersteuningstelsel om veldwerkers te bestuur en optimeer word beskou. Die stelsel is ontwikkel na jare se ondervinding as konsultante en navorsing oor algoritmes. Dit sluit nie net 'n innoverende memetiese algoritme in om baie groot probleme op te los nie, maar bevat ook analitiese funksies en 'n vermoë om scenario's met mekaar te vergelyk. As praktisyns sluit ons insigte in van gevallestudies wat ons gedoen het op strategiese, taktiese, en operasionele vlakke. Die stelsel los scenario's op al drie besluitnemingsvlakke gelyktydig, nie sekwensieel nie, op. Die empiriese studies lig 'n aantal wanopvattings uit wat in die praktyk oor die beplanning van reisende personeelaktiwiteite bestaan.

A Cost Effective Mathematical Model for Strategic Workforce Planning

“…The model is tested real time in an multinational firm. [14] explains the use of decision support system (DSS) for efficiently optimising and managing workforce planning. The system solves the various decision levels such as tactical, operational and strategic.…”

Individually Optimized Commercial Road Transport: A Decision Support System for Customizable Routing Problems

“…Typically, routing models are developed to support operational as well as tactical decision-making processes in transport and logistics [6]. While a human planner may often be able to conceive a feasible routing schedule within a reasonable time for small problem sets, such manual solutions are usually far from being optimal when the specific business context requires the consideration of structural constraints such as time windows and capacity restrictions [7]. While researchers have devoted much effort into developing new variants and solution methods for the VRP, much of this work has been criticized of "being too focused on idealized models with non-realistic assumptions for practical applications" [8].…”