MOOPPS: An Optimization System for Multi Objective Scheduling

TL;DR

MOOPPS is a flexible multi-objective scheduling system that uses metaheuristics, visualization, and decision support tools to help decision makers find optimal production schedules.

Contribution

It introduces a fully menu-driven software integrating metaheuristics, visualization, and aspiration-based decision support for multi-objective production scheduling.

Findings

Successfully identified Pareto optimal solutions.

Enabled comparison of metaheuristic algorithms.

Won the European Academic Software Award 2002.

Abstract

In the current paper, we present an optimization system solving multi objective production scheduling problems (MOOPPS). The identification of Pareto optimal alternatives or at least a close approximation of them is possible by a set of implemented metaheuristics. Necessary control parameters can easily be adjusted by the decision maker as the whole software is fully menu driven. This allows the comparison of different metaheuristic algorithms for the considered problem instances. Results are visualized by a graphical user interface showing the distribution of solutions in outcome space as well as their corresponding Gantt chart representation. The identification of a most preferred solution from the set of efficient solutions is supported by a module based on the aspiration interactive method (AIM). The decision maker successively defines aspiration levels until a single solution is chosen. After successfully competing in the finals in Ronneby, Sweden, the MOOPPS software has been awarded the European Academic Software Award 2002 (http://www.bth.se/llab/easa_2002.nsf)