Method and apparatus for cell-based workforce scheduling

A computer system configured for creating optimized cell-based workstation allocation, comprising:

• a computerized memory configured for storing a plurality of data structures, workstation allocations, and a plurality of cells;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory;
• and
• a non-transitory computer readable medium programmed with computer readable code that upon execution by the processor causes the processor to:
• receive a first workstation allocation from the computerized memory, wherein the first workstation allocation includes a plurality of cells, the plurality of cells defining assignments of a plurality of work activities to at least one of a plurality of time periods and a plurality of workstations to at least one of the plurality of time periods;
• couple each workstation and a respective activity to a respective data structure, wherein each workstation and each activity is separately re-assignable by being bound and unbound to another data structure independent of the cells;
• determine a quantity of workstations bound to each work activity in the first workstation allocation;
• generate cell size violations for each cell based on a cell size associated with each activity of the cell and the quantity of workstations bound to each work activity for the cell;
• create a global score for the first workstation allocation based on the generated cell size violation for each cell;
• identify impermissible cell size violations based on weighted rules;
• correct the cell size violation for at least one cell, wherein the correction includes performing a local search to optimize the allocation for the determined cell to correct by:
• for each cell having a cell size less than the cell size for the cell to correct, delete the cell;
• unbind the workstations bound to the activities associated with the work activities for the deleted cell;
• move the respective unbound workstations from the deleted cell to the determined cell to correct and updating activities in the first workstation allocation between respective cells to minimize cell size violations;
• generate an impact on the global score based on the moving, and
• rebind the data structures with the move of activities and workstations based on the move with a greatest impact on the global score;
• create a second workstation allocation, wherein the second workstation allocation has a minimum number of cell size violations, further wherein the creation of the second workstation allocation shuffles the time interval for work activities and reassigns workstations to different work activities at different time intervals based on the correction and rebinding steps;
• display the second workstation allocation on a user interface;
• and
• implement the second workstation allocation using the reassignment of workstations and shuffled work activities according to the second workstation allocation.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having program instructions stored thereon and in conjunction with an operating system for creating and updating schedules that, when executed by a processor, directs the processor to:

• receive a first workstation allocation from the computerized memory, wherein the first workstation allocation includes a plurality of cells, the plurality of cells defining assignments of a plurality of work activities to at least one of a plurality of time periods and a plurality of workstations to at least one of the plurality of time periods;
• couple each workstation and a respective activity to a respective data structure, wherein each workstation and each activity is separately re-assignable by being bound and unbound to another data structure independent of the cells;
• determine a quantity of workstations bound to each work activity in the first workstation allocation;
• generate cell size violations for each cell based on a cell size associated with each activity of the cell and the quantity of workstations bound to each work activity for the cell;
• create a global score for the first workstation allocation based on the generated cell size violation for each cell;
• identify impermissible cell size violations based on weighted rules;
• correct the cell size violation for at least one cell, wherein the correction includes performing a local search to optimize the allocation for the determined cell to correct by:
• for each cell having a cell size less than the cell size for the cell to correct, delete the cell;
• unbind the workstations bound to the activities associated with the work activities for the deleted cell;
• move the respective unbound workstations from the deleted cell to the determined cell to correct and updating activities in the first workstation allocation between respective cells to minimize cell size violations;
• generate an impact on the global score based on the moving, and
• rebind the data structures with the move of activities and workstations based on the move with a greatest impact on the global score;
• create a second workstation allocation, wherein the second workstation allocation has a minimum number of cell size violations, further wherein the creation of the second workstation allocation shuffles the time interval for work activities and reassigns workstations to different work activities at different time intervals based on the correction and rebinding steps;
• display the second workstation allocation on a user interface;
• and
• implement the second workstation allocation using the reassignment of workstations and shuffled work activities according to the second workstation allocation.