Applied mathematics modeling of intelligent mapping and scheduling of interdependent and multi-functional project resources

The primary objective of this research is the development of a generic project scheduling tool that incorporates (1) resource characteristics, such as preferences, time-effective capabilities, costs and availability of project resources and (2) performance interdependencies among different resource groups, and proceeds to map the most adequate resource units to each newly scheduled project activity. The principal challenge in this generic model development is to make it applicable to realistic project environments, which often involve multi-functional resources, whose capabilities or other characteristics may cross activities, as well as within a single activity relative to specific interactions among resources themselves. The scope of this research challenge further increases when the actual duration, cost, and successful completion of a project activity is assumed as resource driven and dependent on the choice of particular resource units assigned to it. The proposed methodology dynamically executes two alternative procedures: the activity scheduler and resource mapper. The activity scheduler prioritizes and schedules activities based on their attributes, and may also attempt to centralize selected resource loading graphs based on activity resource requirements. The resource mapper considers resource characteristics, incorporates interdependencies among resource groups or types, and maps the available resource units to newly scheduled activities according to a project manager's pre-specified mapping (objective) function.