SCHEDULING RESOURCES FROM A MULTI-SKILL MULTI-LEVEL HUMAN RESOURCE POOL

• US 20120053977A1
• Filed: 08/25/2010
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: BAGHERI, SAEED, CHAAR, JARIR K., CHEE, YI-MIN, OPPENHEIM, DANIEL V., RATAKONDA, KRISHNA C., ZHOU, NIANJUN
• Granted Patent: US 8,407,073 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task

Abstract

Each work item from a group of work items is categorized as either complex or intense, and a unique work requirement statement is derived for each work item based on whether it is complex or intense. A unique resource value statement is assigned to different human resources. Past performances of the human resources are analyzed against completed work items in order to adjust the unique resource value statement, thus creating updated human resource value statements. An optimized work requirement statement is created by recalculating the unique work requirement statement for each work item based on the updated human resource value statements. A schedule for automated allocation of human resources to functional areas of an enterprise activity environment and scheduling of work items to the functional areas is formulated based on the optimized requirement statement for each work item in the group of work items.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for automated allocation of human resources to functional areas of an enterprise activity environment and scheduling of work items to the functional areas, the computer implemented method comprising:

a processor categorizing each work item from a group of work items as either complex or intense, wherein completion time for executing a complex work item is based on skill sets of available human resources matching required skill sets for the complex work item, and wherein completion time for executing an intense work item is based on a quantity of available human resources regardless of their skill levels;

the processor deriving a unique work requirement statement for said each work item based on whether each work item is complex or intense, wherein the unique work requirement statement for a complex work item is skill-set dependent, and wherein the unique work requirement statement for an intense work item is skill-set neutral;

the processor assigning a unique resource value statement to each human resource from multiple human resources, wherein the unique resource value statement describes all skills held by each human resource based on a knowledge set and a proficiency level set of each human resource;

the processor analyzing past performances of the human resources against completed work items in order to adjust the unique resource value statement, thereby creating updated human resource value statements for the human resources;

the processor creating an optimized work requirement statement by recalculating the unique work requirement statement for each work item based on the updated human resource value statements for the human resources; and

the processor formulating a schedule for automated allocation of human resources to functional areas of an enterprise activity environment and scheduling of work items to the functional areas based on the optimized requirement statement for each work item in the group of work items.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

the processor, in response to the optimized requirement statement and the updated human resource value statements remaining unchanged until execution of the group of work items is completed, storing the optimized requirement statement and the updated human resource value statements in a database; and

the processor utilizing the optimized requirement statement and the updated human resource value statements to formulate another schedule for automated allocation of human resources and scheduling of work items as applied to a new group of work items.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the enterprise activity environment is a software factory that utilizes pooled human resources to produce software application development and maintenance, and wherein the computer implemented method further comprises:

the processor assigning a skill level to each skill set of a human resource from the pooled human resources; and

the processor formulating the schedule for executing the group of work items based on the optimized requirement statement for each work item in the group of work items.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the enterprise activity environment is a physical factory, and wherein the group of work items produces a physical tangible product.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

the processor prioritizing the work items; and

the processor adjusting allocation of human resources to the work items based on work item prioritization.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

the processor determining an availability of multi-level human resources, wherein the multi-level human resources are categorized according to their respective skill levels; and

the processor adjusting allocation of human resources to the work items based on a determined availability of the multi-level human resources.

7. A computer program product for automated allocation of human resources to functional areas of an enterprise activity environment and scheduling of work items to the functional areas, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage media;

first program instructions to categorize each work item from a group of work items as either complex or intense, wherein completion time for executing a complex work item is based on skill sets of available human resources matching required skill sets for the complex work item, and wherein completion time for executing an intense work item is based on a quantity of available human resources regardless of their skill levels;

second program instructions to derive a unique work requirement statement for said each work item based on whether each work item is complex or intense, wherein the unique work requirement statement for a complex work item is skill-set dependent, and wherein the unique work requirement statement for an intense work item is skill-set neutral;

third program instructions to assign a unique resource value statement to each human resource from multiple human resources, wherein the unique resource value statement describes all skills held by each human resource based on a knowledge set and a proficiency level set of each human resource;

fourth program instructions to analyze past performances of the human resources against completed work items in order to adjust the unique resource value statement, thereby creating updated human resource value statements for the human resources;

fifth program instructions to create an optimized work requirement statement by recalculating the unique work requirement statement for each work item based on the updated human resource value statements for the human resources; and

sixth program instructions to formulate a schedule for automated allocation of human resources to functional areas of an enterprise activity environment and scheduling of work items to the functional areas based on the optimized requirement statement for each work item in the group of work items, and wherein

the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage media.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising:

seventh program instructions to, in response to the optimized requirement statement and the updated human resource value statements remaining unchanged until execution of the group of work items is completed, store the optimized requirement statement and the updated human resource value statements in a database; and

eighth program instructions to utilize the optimized requirement statement and the updated human resource value statements to formulate another schedule for automated allocation of human resources and scheduling of work items as applied to a new group of work items, and wherein

the seventh and eighth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage media.

9. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the enterprise activity environment is a software factory that utilizes pooled human resources to produce software application development and maintenance, and wherein the computer program product further comprises:

seventh program instructions to assign a skill level to each skill set of a human resource from the pooled human resources; and

eighth program instructions to formulate the schedule for executing the group of work items based on the optimized requirement statement for each work item in the group of work items, and wherein

the seventh and eighth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage media.

10. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the enterprise activity environment is a physical factory, and wherein the group of work items produces a physical tangible product.

11. The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising:

seventh program instructions to prioritize the work items; and

eighth program instructions to adjust allocation of human resources to the work items based on work item prioritization, and wherein

the seventh and eighth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage media.

12. The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising:

seventh program instructions to determine an availability of multi-level human resources, wherein the multi-level human resources are categorized according to their respective skill levels; and

eighth program instructions to adjust allocation of human resources to the work items based on a determined availability of the multi-level human resources, and wherein

the seventh and eighth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage media.

13. A computer system comprising:

a central processing unit (CPU), a computer readable memory, and a computer readable storage media;

first program instructions to categorize each work item from a group of work items as either complex or intense, wherein completion time for executing a complex work item is based on skill sets of available human resources matching required skill sets for the complex work item, and wherein completion time for executing an intense work item is based on a quantity of available human resources regardless of their skill levels;

second program instructions to derive a unique work requirement statement for said each work item based on whether each work item is complex or intense, wherein the unique work requirement statement for a complex work item is skill-set dependent, and wherein the unique work requirement statement for an intense work item is skill-set neutral;

third program instructions to assign a unique resource value statement to each human resource from multiple human resources, wherein the unique resource value statement describes all skills held by each human resource based on a knowledge set and a proficiency level set of each human resource;

fourth program instructions to analyze past performances of the human resources against completed work items in order to adjust the unique resource value statement, thereby creating updated human resource value statements for the human resources;

fifth program instructions to create an optimized work requirement statement by recalculating the unique work requirement statement for each work item based on the updated human resource value statements for the human resources; and

sixth program instructions to formulate a schedule for automated allocation of human resources to functional areas of an enterprise activity environment and scheduling of work items to the functional areas based on the optimized requirement statement for each work item in the group of work items, and wherein

the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by the CPU via the computer readable memory.

14. The computer system of claim 13, further comprising:

seventh program instructions to, in response to the optimized requirement statement and the updated human resource value statements remaining unchanged until execution of the group of work items is completed, store the optimized requirement statement and the updated human resource value statements in a database; and

eighth program instructions to utilize the optimized requirement statement and the updated human resource value statements to formulate another schedule for automated allocation of human resources and scheduling of work items as applied to a new group of work items, and wherein

the seventh and eighth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by the CPU via the computer readable memory.

15. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the enterprise activity environment is a software factory that utilizes pooled human resources to produce software application development and maintenance, and wherein the computer system further comprises:

seventh program instructions to assign a skill level to each skill set of a human resource from the pooled human resources; and

eighth program instructions to formulate the schedule for executing the group of work items based on the optimized requirement statement for each work item in the group of work items, and wherein

the seventh and eighth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by the CPU via the computer readable memory.

16. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the enterprise activity environment is a physical factory, and wherein the group of work items produces a physical tangible product.

17. The computer system of claim 13, further comprising:

seventh program instructions to prioritize the work items; and

eighth program instructions to adjust allocation of human resources to the work items based on work item prioritization, and wherein

the seventh and eighth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by the CPU via the computer readable memory.

18. The computer system of claim 13, further comprising:

seventh program instructions to determine an availability of multi-level human resources, wherein the multi-level human resources are categorized according to their respective skill levels; and

eighth program instructions to adjust allocation of human resources to the work items based on a determined availability of the multi-level human resources, and wherein

the seventh and eighth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by the CPU via the computer readable memory.