The software project scheduling problem: A scalability analysis of multi-objective metaheuristics

Abstract

Computer aided techniques for scheduling software projects is a crucial step in the software development process within the highly competitive software industry. The Software Project Scheduling (SPS) problem relates to the decision of who does what during a software project lifetime, thus involving mainly both people-intensive activities and human resources. Two major, conflicting goals arise when scheduling a software project: reducing both its cost and duration. A multi-objective approach is therefore the natural way of facing the SPS problem. As companies are getting involved in larger and larger software projects, there is an actual need of algorithms that are able to deal with the tremendous search spaces imposed. In this paper we analyze the scalability of eight multiobjective algorithms when they are applied to the SPS problem using instances of increasing size. The algorithms are classical algorithms from the literature (NSGA-II, PAES, and SPEA2) and recent proposals (DEPT, MOCell, MOABC, MO-FA, and GDE3). From the experimentation conducted, the results suggest that PAES is the algorithm with the best scalability features.

Hybrid ant colony optimization in solving multi-skill resource-constrained project scheduling problem

“…On the other hand, there are methods solving classical RCPSP extended by cost domain but without skills considerations. Such research has been presented in Phruksaphanrat (2014), Jaberi et al (2014), Gonzalez et al (2013), Luna et al (2013) and Yannibelli et al (2013). Hence, we have decided to combine those two elements: multi-objective optimization and multi-skill domain for project scheduling problem.…”

Efficient selection operators in NSGA-II for Solving Bi-Objective Multi-Skill Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling Problem

“…A Software Project Scheduling Problem (SPSP) is another example and was first presented in [6]. It is the most similar problem to the MS-RCPSP as it contains skills and two criteria -duration and cost.…”

iMOPSE: a library for bicriteria optimization in Multi-Skill Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling Problem

“…Very useful dataset of Software Project Scheduling Problem (SPSP) is presented in Luna et al (2013). There are published on Internet both instances Generator and dataset of instances.…”