Scheduling DILEMMA

[Kmahraz]

Hi,
Looking for help with a complicated scheduling dilemma,

We have around 201 associates,

Each associate select 6 classes, they can only attend 4

We have 21 classes that we offer, any class that was selected by less than 15 associates can be eliminated if needed.

We have several classes that are offered by the same instructor, so they can't be scheduled in the same session to insure the instructor will be able to teach the class.

In total they can only be 30 associate per classes

We have to keep the associate from the same location in the same class.

We have 4 sessions in total and we can only offer 8 classes in each session

I would like to see what's the optimum classes schedule that can meet most of the associates if not all.

Please see sample file for the data, any help will be much appreciated.

Thank you,
K

 

[Faseeh]

Hello,

Have you tried developing a solver model for this problem??

 

[Faseeh]

From your post i have understood that ..

Associate = student
classes = subject offered
instructor = instructor

Can we work with smaller sample of data to model the problem?

 

[Kmahraz]

Thank you Faseeh,
You are correct, I have not tried the solver and never used it.
yes you can shrink the data if needed to create a model.

 

[Faseeh]

I am unable to understand the stuff related to session and classes.

What are session? it is like semester or something else?

 

[Kmahraz]

Session is time slot, for example
Session 1 --> 1:00 PM : 1:45 PM
Session 2 --> 1:45 PM : 2:30 PM
Session 3......
Session 4
please let me know if you have any additional questions.

Thank you

 

[Faseeh]

The last section of session and classes needs explantion can you elaborate. Mean while you can see this attempt.

 

[Faseeh]

What is the critieria for session i.e. how many classes do you need to have in order to have a session? What is the relation of room and location? is the class same as room or does it refer to a subject?

 

[Kmahraz]

Session is referring to the time during the day, for example we have 4 session (time period) from 1 PM till 5 PM

In the building we currently have only 8 rooms that can absorb all the classes offered. please see table below.



There are no relation between room and location, location is where the Students are from, and we need to keep them together.

You are correct, classes refer to subject.

Please let me know if you have any questions or need additional information.

Thank you for your help

K

 

[Faseeh]

..and the area between the session and the room will be occupied by subject name?

 

[Kmahraz]

Yes you are correct,

 

[Faseeh]

Ok dear let me attempt lets see if we remain sucessful or not.

 

[Kmahraz]

Thank you so much Faseeh,

 

[Faseeh]

Hello kmahraz,

Please see attached solution, it is not fully automated but if the solution is ok then we can still workout.

 

[Kmahraz]

Hi Faseeh,
I appreciate your help and support with my request, If i did understand correctly, this will be the optimum schedule


The issue i see is that there are subjects that are identical and scheduled in the same session, the instructor can only provide one subject per session, and won't be able to be in all rooms as you have done in the table above.

For example an instructor A can provide Subject 3 and 4; he won't be able to provide both subject in session 1.

Please let me know if you have any questions or need additional information.

Thank you,

 

[Faseeh]

You are welcome.

A Subject can be taught by only 1 teacher? or there are more then 1 teacher per subject?

What if we do it this way?

 

[Kmahraz]

A subject can be only taught by one teacher, and the same teacher can teach multiple subjects ; but not in the same session ( Not at the same time frame)

Regards,
Karim

 

[Faseeh]

Can you check the above solution? Its 10 pm so will tomorrow mean while i will do "critical thinking" good night

 

[Kmahraz]

I apology, and wanted to thank you so very much for your assistance
I reviewed your suggested solution and i still see an issue, please see data below to help clarify the subject and teachers:

So, for teacher A he can teach Subject 1,2 and 3 these subject can't be scheduled in the same Session.
In your table i see that Subject 7 is scheduled twice ...
Please let me know if this make sens

Regards,
Karim