excel - Constrained Optimization Usage - Creating Optimal Volunteer Schedule for Community Service Organization -


i'm college student volunteers program manager local community service organization. 1 big part of job involves matching volunteer schedules (submitted me via text , email) tutee schedules (submitted teachers via google form). past 2 years, i've been matching requested time slots volunteer availabilities manually excel sheets , color coding. has been easy far because i've received relatively small number of tutor requests , volunteer sign ups.

over past 2 months, i've worked hard grow tutoring program @ school manage. semester, received 18 request forms on 25 students. matching volunteer schedules manually many people take hours, if not days, me complete. given work load, figured there'd have better way approach problem.

i curious if of constrained programming experience me (1) solve scheduling problem or (2) recommend software can help. below outline scheduling process in more detail , list constraints must taken consideration when scheduling shifts.

the scheduling process

i ask volunteers send me monday - thursday availability in format so:

m: 9:30 - 12:00 t: 2:00 - 4:30 w: 12:00 - 1:30 th: 10:00 - 11:30

the school 15-20 minute drive away, rely on 'drivers' carpool other volunteers 1-hour shift. if volunteer has car , willing carpool, try , match @ least 2 other volunteers same availability driver (given car has enough room , tutor has been requested teacher time slot).

i pray teacher has requested tutor carpool's time-slot. if not, carpool no , have manually come solution.

the constraints , variables

obviously, there several constraints , variables come play when making schedule. list many can below:

  • is tutor 'driver'?
  • if tutor 'driver,' how many seats have?
  • does driver's availability match of requested time slots?
  • are there other, non-driving tutors have same availability driver? (i.e. there can carpool driver)
  • do volunteers in carpool have student tutor?
  • did teacher request individual or group tutoring (i.e. 1 or more tutor 1 or multiple students)?
  • if yes, how many tutors did teacher request?
  • remember, 1 volunteer can tutor more 1 student

that small list of constraints , variables can come off top of head.

so can offer solution scheduling problem? has no knowledge constraint programming able use optaplanner solve problem?

thank giving read , offering advice.

you can use optaplanner solving problem, feels minizinc better option. point in case of minizinc describe required properties of solution, instead of implementing workflows , algorithms manage variables, constraints, parsers input data etc, in case of optaplanner.

if 1 not experienced constraint satisfaction, simpler - describe allowed/disallowed configurations in text configuration file , run solver. can provide simple gui generating input data.


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