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DOI: 10.4230/LIPIcs.CP.2025.24

The Work Task Variation Problem

Authors: Mikael Z. Lagerkvist and Magnus Rattfeldt

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 340, 31st International Conference on Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming (CP 2025)

Abstract

This paper introduces the Work Task Variation (WTV) problem, a novel scheduling post-processing challenge focused on improving worker shift quality by rearranging tasks within their assigned time slots. The objective is to avoid excessively short or long durations of specific task types, creating smoother and more ergonomic work patterns. We present RosterLogic Variation, a constraint-based local search (CBLS) inspired solver originally developed at Optischedule and successfully deployed in real-world retail settings. This solver rapidly improves existing schedules using tailored invariants and heuristics. We also provide a complete MiniZinc model and a set of generated realistic publicly available benchmark instances. We compare our solver’s performance with that of modern CP solvers using the MiniZinc model. Contemporary state-of-the-art CP solvers are approaching the interactive performance of our CBLS solver for coarse planning, representing a significant advancement since the original design and implementation of our solver.

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Mikael Z. Lagerkvist and Magnus Rattfeldt. The Work Task Variation Problem. In 31st International Conference on Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming (CP 2025). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 340, pp. 24:1-24:23, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2025)

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@InProceedings{lagerkvist_et_al:LIPIcs.CP.2025.24,
  author =	{Lagerkvist, Mikael Z. and Rattfeldt, Magnus},
  title =	{{The Work Task Variation Problem}},
  booktitle =	{31st International Conference on Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming (CP 2025)},
  pages =	{24:1--24:23},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-380-5},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2025},
  volume =	{340},
  editor =	{de la Banda, Maria Garcia},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.CP.2025.24},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-238850},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.CP.2025.24},
  annote =	{Keywords: Constraint-Based Local Search, Constraint Programming, Metaheuristics, Scheduling}
}

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The Work Task Variation Problem

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