Research On The Resource-constrained Software Programme Scheduling Problem

In the practice of software enterprises, most of software projects are not insulated but relatedbetween each other in resource competition and the exchange of information, and then the resourcecompetition of these software programmes has intensified the complexity of software projectmanagement. Therefore, it is of advantage to the development and construction of the field ofsoftware project management that to research theories and methods for resource-constrained softwareprogramme scheduling problem.This paper has worked on a series of questions for resource-constrained software programmescheduling problem on multi-skills employee dispatching, multi-mode multiple resources levling andprogramme scheduling based on fuzzy critical chain. The achievements and main works of the paperare as follows:(1) In accordance with the characteristics of software project, the content and process ofprogramme management in software enterprise are analysized detailed in this paper, and we proposethe frame model for software programme scheduling. This frame model is based on programmemanagement system, and is consisted of requirement management, process management anddocument management. Finally, the process of software programme scheduling is designed.(2) Multi-skilled employee dispatching is a problem that is encountered frequently in the practiceof software enterprise. In this problem, every employee has distinguished skills and each activity hasdifferent skill requirements. Traditional methods for resource-constrained project scheduling are notsuited for programme multi-skilled employee dispatching problem. For the characteristics ofmulti-skilled employee dispatching problem in software programme scheduling, a scheduling modelis established with the optimization object of minimum multi-project duration and minimum total cost.By applying cloud model into Vector Evaluated Particle Swarm Optimization Based on Pareto, anovel Cloud Multi-Objective Particle Swarm Optimization is utilized for solving this problem. Finally,the effectiveness and feasibility of this method are verified by a software development case.(3) For many projects in software development enterprise, each activity is executed in one ofseveral modes, and each mode represents a combination of its resource requirements and its duration.It is crucial to not only adjust the start time, but also select the execution mode of each activity whenminimizing the variation of resource utilization. This issue has affected multi-mode multiple resourceslevling problem in software programme scheduling. Because activity duration in this problem is discrete distribution, intrinsically, multi-mode multiple resource leveling problem in softwareprogramme scheduling belongs to the discrete software programme scheduling problem in theuncertain environment. The method for multi-mode multiple resources leveling problem in softwareprogramme scheduling is formulated in this paper, in this method; we establish a multi-objectivemodel to minimize programme duation, resource requirements and resource variance. By applyingpopulation competition model into vector evaluated particle swarm optimization based on Pareto, anovel multi-objective particle swarm optimization is utilized for solving this problem. In thisalgorithm, the swarm code is comprised of the execute mode and the start time of activities, and thepopulation of each sub-partcile swarm is adjusted automatically according to the optimaizationobjectives. Finally, two software R&D cases test the performance of new algorithm, and results showthat this method is suited for solving multi-mode multiple resource leveling problem in softwareprogramme scheduling.(4) The current method for critical chain multi-project scheduling based on probability theory,which requires giving the probability distribution of activity duration. It is difficult for softwareproject which lacks of history statistical data, and then traditional methods for critical chainmulti-project scheduling are not suited for software programme scheduling problem in the uncertainenvironment. This paper is based on relevant research on fuzzy critical chain, and analyses the defectsand deficiencies of the estimation method for activity duration. A novel fuzzy estimation technique foractivity duration based on Delphi is proposed in this paper. Then a new method to determine thecapacity constraint buffer size is discussed in fuzzy critical chain programme scheduling, thecomplexity, resource tightness and safety time of capacity constraint activity are considered in themethod. Finally, the result shows that the method is able to provide the sufficient staggered time andalmost the same on-time completion rate of the whole projects.This research will provide theory basis for the optimum assignment of project resource insoftware corporations and foundation for the development of relative scheduling software, which willimprove the comprehensive benefits of the software programme.