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Optimization of researcher shifts with consideration for COVID-19 infection
control
Optimization of researcher shifts with consideration for COVID-19 infection control
Overview
With the outbreak of COVID-19, we used an annealing machine to create shifts for our researchers under
constraints that
took into account the newly created risks of infection.
What we want to solve
With the unprecedented outbreak of the infectious disease, the researchers were required to work under
new constraints
which did not allow for overcrowding. To ameliorate this issue, the researchers were divided into separate
shifts to
allow the continuation of their work. We decided to set restrictions on the number of people who could
work a shift. For example, for a large room that houses
several departments, we set a limit on the number of people who could come to work across multiple
departments. We also
set different conditions for personnel working in laboratories, depending on the size of each
laboratory. Even though more than 30 departments share the same building, there was no mechanism to
manage work restrictions across
these departments.
The work schedule for each research topic was also in flux, with readjusting shifts being required in such
high
frequency.
In addition, because many different teams use the laboratory, if prior arrangements are not made properly,
experiments
cannot be conducted even if a person comes to work if he or she has a conflict with a member of another
team. These
issues made the coordination process very complicated.
Forcing the researcher or department head to make these sorts of adjustments distracted them from their
main tasks.
Current Issues
Time consuming to create and coordinate shifts Because there were many
departments and researchers, each with their own set of requirements and needs, creating and
coordinating shifts was no easy task.
Difficult to catch up with urgent requests Researchers make schedules in advance,
but depending on the project's progress, they may make a special request to use
the laboratory on much shorter notice. On the other hand, there are also cases when researchers
withdraw their
reservations due to a delay of a project's progress or due to illness. Because scheduling a shift
takes time, it is
difficult to manually reflect such an impending situation.
May deviate from the actual situation There were instances where the laboratory
was scheduled to be used by one group, but then quickly abandoned and unused.
And in some cases, the laboratory was shared by disparate groups which were not on the schedule. This
lack of control
could have resulted in problems with infection control measures.
Toward a Solution
We collected the following information and used an annealing machine to compute the optimal
combination of researchers'
work schedules that satisfied various constraints, thereby automating the creation of researchers'
shifts.
Information required for optimization
Schedule of laboratory use requested by the researcher We collected
information on who would like to use the room, when, and which room they would like to use.
Laboratory Equipment and Number of Rooms Since the experimental equipment
differs from room to room, we set the number of rooms per equipment.
Days of the week and times when researchers can come to work To meet
restrictions and conditions while maintaining equality, we collected requests for days and hours
of work.
Constraint
We have set a limit of up to 30% of the normal capacity of each laboratory or rooms.
Interactions to consider
Compatibility between researchers Productivity could be affected by the
combination of researchers in attendance.
Maximum stay time Productivity was affected when operating hours in the laboratory
exceeded a certain level.
Changes after introduction
Fixed shift placement
Ideal shift placement
There had been no mechanism to manage attendance across departments, but it is now possible to organize
shift work for
the hundreds of people who work at the institute.
Our solution can create shifts on a weekly basis, making it possible to accommodate requests to come to
work with as
much consideration as possible for the researcher's research progress and family circumstances.
Work Shift Optimization Solutions: Financial Solutions:Hitachi (hitachi.co.jp)
The "Work Shift Optimization Solutions" uses Hitachi's calculation technology to create optimal
work shifts that balance
the needs of management, inquiring customers, and operators of companies operating call centers.