SCHEDULING AND SIMULATION SYSTEM

• US 20160307145A1
• Filed: 04/14/2015
• Published: 10/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chiarella, Gregory J., Khapov, Igor, Banerjee, Dipyaman, Huang, Yunwu, Paradkar, Amitkumar M., Pfitzmann, Birgit M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,726,366 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063116 Schedule adjustment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063118 Staff planning in a project environment

Abstract

Evaluating project schedules on a computer system. One or more tasks are identified and corresponding set of deterministic task durations are determined. An initial schedule for completing the tasks is generated based on the deterministic task durations and based on one or more resources. A set of probabilistic durations for the tasks are determined and execution of the tasks is simulated according to the initial schedule based on the set of probabilistic durations.

Claims

1. A method for evaluating project schedules on a computer system, comprising:

identifying a plurality of tasks;

determining a set of deterministic task durations for the plurality of tasks;

determining an initial schedule for completing the tasks based on the deterministic task durations and based on a plurality of resources;

determining a set of probabilistic durations for the plurality of tasks; and

simulating execution of the plurality of tasks according to the initial schedule based on the set of probabilistic durations,

wherein one or more steps of the method are performed using one or more computers.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating at least one additional initial schedule based on the deterministic task durations and based on the plurality of resources; and

simulating execution of the at least one additional initial schedule based on the set of probabilistic durations.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

ranking the initial schedule and the at least one additional initial schedule based on the simulating.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the project is a cloud migration project.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the probabilistic task durations are determined, for a given task, based on one or more of:

an expected completion duration;

an expected completion duration plus a standard deviation duration; and

a maximum observed duration.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

revising the set of deterministic task durations based on the set of probabilistic task durations; and

repeating the step of determining the initial schedule based on the revising.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a scheduling report based on the initial schedule; and

generating a simulation report based on simulating the initial schedule,

wherein one or both of the scheduling report and the simulation report comprise one or more of a Gantt diagram, a matrix, and a critical path.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recommending, based on the simulating, one or more of an increase in the plurality of resources and an increase in an overall project duration.

9. A computer system for evaluating project schedules on a computer system, comprising:

a computer device having a processor and a tangible storage device; and

a program embodied on the storage device for execution by the processor, the program having a plurality of program instructions to;

identify a plurality of tasks;

determine a set of deterministic task durations for the plurality of tasks;

determine an initial schedule for completing the tasks based on the deterministic task durations and based on a plurality of resources;

determine a set of probabilistic durations for the plurality of tasks; and

simulate execution of the plurality of tasks according to the initial schedule based on the set of probabilistic durations.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of program instructions further comprise instructions to:

generate at least one additional initial schedule based on the deterministic task durations and based on the plurality of resources; and

simulate execution of the at least one additional initial schedule based on the set of probabilistic durations.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of program instructions further comprise instructions to:

rank the initial schedule and the at least one additional initial schedule based on the simulating.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the project is a cloud migration project.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the probabilistic task durations are determined, for a given task, based on one or more of:

an expected completion duration;

an expected completion duration plus a standard deviation duration; and

a maximum observed duration.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of program instructions further comprise instructions to:

revise the set of deterministic task durations based on the set of probabilistic task durations; and

repeat determining of the initial schedule based on the revising.

15. A computer program product for evaluating project schedules on a computer system, comprising a tangible storage device having program code embodied therewith, the program code executable by a processor of a computer to perform a method, the method comprising:

identifying, by a processor, a plurality of tasks;

determining, by a processor, a set of deterministic task durations for the plurality of tasks;

determining, by a processor, an initial schedule for completing the tasks based on the deterministic task durations and based on a plurality of resources;

determining, by a processor, a set of probabilistic durations for the plurality of tasks; and

simulating, by a processor, execution of the plurality of tasks according to the initial schedule based on the set of probabilistic durations.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

generating, by a processor, at least one additional initial schedule based on the deterministic task durations and based on the plurality of resources; and

simulating, by a processor, execution of the at least one additional initial schedule based on the set of probabilistic durations.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises:

ranking, by a processor, the initial schedule and the at least one additional initial schedule based on the simulating.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the project is a cloud migration project.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the probabilistic task durations are determined, for a given task, based on one or more of:

an expected completion duration;

an expected completion duration plus a standard deviation duration; and

a maximum observed duration.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

revising, by a processor, the set of deterministic task durations based on the set of probabilistic task durations; and

repeating, by a processor, the step of determining the initial schedule based on the revising.