The W-6 approach to multi-dimensional scheduling: where AI and operations research meet
M. Ben Bassat, Yedidya Kfir, Z. Melamed, D. Schapiro, A. Shpiro · 2002
Inherent limitations of the traditional approaches to scheduling and allocation of resources are pinpointed, and new directions are proposed. These are based on five years experience with very-large-scale scheduling problems that resulted in a working software system called W-6. W-6, which represents a compromised approach that may not generate a globally optimal solution but has proven to lead to practical solutions, is described. The key elements of the W-6 approach are: shifting the emphasis from search space exploration to problem decomposition, and a natural language interface that allows the user to formulate the problem requirements, constraints, and goals in a reasonably restricted natural language. >