Newly Developed Fatigue Management Software Technologies for
Transportation

Human Factors Workshop 106

Sabine Wahl & Jessica Kindred\
XIMES GmbH

[www.ximes.com](http://www.ximes.com/)

[wahl@ximes.com](mailto:office@ximes.com)

Version 1.1 -- Jan 2^nd^ 2003

Content

Principles of work schedules and their development and the process for
developing staffing and master scheduling plans
[4](#principles-of-work-schedules-and-their-development-and-the-process-for-developing-staffing-and-master-scheduling-plans)

Why is scheduling important? [4](#why-is-scheduling-important)

Overview over approaches [4](#overview-over-approaches)

Overview over XIMES approach and tools
[6](#overview-over-ximes-approach-and-tools)

The steps when designing a schedule
[7](#the-steps-when-designing-a-schedule)

The Operating Hours Assistant - OPA
[8](#the-operating-hours-assistant---opa)

The Shift Plan Assistant -- SPA [10](#the-shift-plan-assistant-spa)

Guidelines for evaluating schedules
[12](#guidelines-for-evaluating-schedules)

Ergonomic recommendations [13](#ergonomic-recommendations)

Fatigue, safety and health [14](#fatigue-safety-and-health)

Scheduling in different modes of transportation
[17](#scheduling-in-different-modes-of-transportation)

Introduction to XIMES RAS = Work Schedule Representation and Analysis
Software
[19](#introduction-to-ximes-ras-work-schedule-representation-and-analysis-software)

Introduction to RAS [19](#introduction-to-ras)

The user interface [20](#the-user-interface)

Examples for assessment and comparison
[22](#examples-for-assessment-and-comparison)

Activity patterns [22](#activity-patterns)

When does work start and end? [24](#when-does-work-start-and-end)

Assessment of length [25](#assessment-of-length)

Work Shift Description [27](#work-shift-description)

Transfer/apply existing knowledge
[32](#transferapply-existing-knowledge)

Defining the thresholds values [32](#defining-the-thresholds-values)

Applying the checks (Rota Résumé) [33](#applying-the-checks-rota-résumé)

Discussion of threshold values [34](#discussion-of-threshold-values)

Hands-on practice using RAS [37](#hands-on-practice-using-ras)

Example 1: A simple regular schedule
[37](#example-1-a-simple-regular-schedule)

Aims of this session [37](#aims-of-this-session)

Background to the schedule [37](#background-to-the-schedule)

What to do? [37](#what-to-do)

Example 2: Hinton Train Disaster [39](#example-2-hinton-train-disaster)

Aims of this session [39](#aims-of-this-session-1)

Background to the schedule [39](#background-to-the-schedule-1)

Please answer the following questions:
[39](#please-answer-the-following-questions)

Example 3: Train driver [43](#example-3-train-driver)

Aims of this session [43](#aims-of-this-session-2)

Background to the given schedule [43](#background-to-the-given-schedule)

Please answer the following questions:
[43](#please-answer-the-following-questions-1)

Example 4: Airport tower controller
[45](#example-4-airport-tower-controller)

Aims of this session [45](#aims-of-this-session-3)

Background to the given schedule
[45](#background-to-the-given-schedule-1)

What to do? [45](#what-to-do-1)

Example 5: Import data from an Microsoft® Excel file into RAS
[46](#example-5-import-data-from-an-microsoft-excel-file-into-ras)

Aims of this session [46](#aims-of-this-session-4)

What to do? [46](#what-to-do-2)

Example 6: Import data from a text file into RAS
[47](#example-6-import-data-from-a-text-file-into-ras)

Aims of this session [47](#aims-of-this-session-5)

What to do? [47](#what-to-do-3)

Feedback on tool interface, representations and functionality
[48](#feedback-on-tool-interface-representations-and-functionality)

Appendix: XIMES -- background information
[49](#appendix-ximes-background-information)

Appendix -- Answers for hands-on practice
[50](#appendix-answers-for-hands-on-practice)

Example 2: Hinton Train Disaster
[50](#example-2-hinton-train-disaster-1)

Example 3: Train driver [50](#example-3-train-driver-1)

Example 5: Import data from an Microsoft® Excel file into RAS
[52](#example-5-import-data-from-an-microsoft-excel-file-into-ras-1)

Example 6: Import data from a text file into RAS
[53](#example-6-import-data-from-a-text-file-into-ras-1)

# Principles of work schedules and their development and the process for developing staffing and master scheduling plans

### Why is scheduling important?

Better schedules

-   Reduce costs

-   Decrease risks

-   Improve working conditions

-   Increase quality

Better scheduling with software tools

-   Overcomes the limits of manual scheduling

-   There are more and better schedules to chose from

-   Decisions are transparent

-   Scheduling is done faster

-   Better analysis possible

### Overview over approaches

Shift scheduling is a very diverse field. One way to think about it is
the following conceptualization:

  ------------------------ -------------------------- --------------------
  **Feature**              **"Pole 1": \"Paper        **"Pole 2":
                           mills\"**                  Markets**

  Shift groups             A few rather stable groups No stable groups

  Shift patterns           Regular                    Regular and
                                                      irregular

  Number of shifts         Small                      No stable shifts

  Number of employees      Fix                        Changing

  Staffing levels at       Constant                   Varying
  different times                                     

  Role of different        Considered when building   To be scheduled
  qualifications           groups                     

  Staffing needs           Precisely defined          A probability
                                                      distribution

  Predictability of needs  High                       Low
  ------------------------ -------------------------- --------------------

  ------------------------ -------------------------- --------------------
  **Feature**              **"Pole 1": \"Paper        **"Pole 2":
                           mills\"**                  Markets**

  Planning horizon         Weeks and months           Starting with hours

  Individual preferences   Hardly considered          Considered strongly

  Spatial constraints      Not considered             Considered strongly
  ------------------------ -------------------------- --------------------

Figure 1: Two poles illustrating the diversity of the field of shift
scheduling

It would be wrong to think in terms of two approaches to shift
scheduling. There are these two approaches and many others between them.
The importance and appearance of each single feature of the above table
may make a substantial if not decisive difference to the scheduling
approach (exploiting different simplification strategies thereby
minimizing computational complexity) and to the tools to be used (e.g.
calling for very different user interfaces). Also legal or collective
bargaining issues may shape the scheduling tasks strongly.

Scheduling problems can vary in a number of features, including those
listed in Figure 1. Even paper mills are not always as stable with
regard to work scheduling Figure 1 might suggest. The notion of \'paper
mills\' was only used here to illustrate rather extreme cases ("poles").
Variety exists in other industries too, often in contrast to
presumptions (e.g., stable teams in call-centers, extremely flexible
work for maintenance in steel mills, stable time patterns in spite of
flexi-time).

Further important classifications of scheduling tasks are:

-   More or less centralized scheduling versus scheduling by the
    employees themselves (e.g. via WWW)

-   Planning horizons and degree of short-term changes

-   Scheduling considering specific work-packages versus general
    scheduling

### Overview over XIMES approach and tools

As described above many different scheduling problems exist and --
naturally -- many different approaches and software packages address
these planning problems.

The following description of the XIMES approach and tools is only
intended to illustrate what such tools may look like and how they may be
used.

The XIMES approach and the XIMES tools support a feedback process of
scheduling as shown below:

![](media/image1.png){width="6.4631944444444445in"
height="3.4583333333333335in"}

Figure 2: Process of developing staffing and master scheduling plans and
analyzing the actual work with XIMES tools

#### The core ideas of this process:

Looking ahead

... by helping to assess the consequences of requirements

... by helping to detect critical situations early on in order to allow
for maneuvering

... by helping to manage contingency reserves properly

Refining

... starting with long term planning

... and then iteratively refine down to the actual day to day planning

Looking back

... after the actual work to check how well targets were met and to
adjust the\
planning process

### The steps when designing a schedule

![](media/image2.png){width="5.281944444444444in"
height="3.3090277777777777in"}

Figure 3: Steps in the design of a schedule

### The Operating Hours Assistant - OPA 

#### Core ideas of Operating Hours Assistant (OPA)

There are no good schedules without

-   Forecasting of demand

-   Forecasting of leave

-   A fit of personnel and staff needed in toto

-   A fit of personnel and staff needed in detail

-   Proper shifts or shift-types

```{=html}
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-   If the number of different shifts is very high, shift-types
    represent large numbers of similar shifts.

-   Proper start and end times

-   Proper length (not too short, not too long)

-   The number of duties per week is not too high (e.g. \<4.7)

Not all aims can be met all the time. However, one should come as close
as possible.

#### EXAMPLE: Generating shifts with OPA

The screenshot of the system shown in Figure 4 displays shifts generated
to meet the staffing needs visualized in the diagram (red line). In
general, the system helps to fit staffing and staffing requirements, to
design good shifts (good start/end times; not too long/short duties), to
keep the number of duties per week below critical thresholds (e.g.
approx. \<4.7 duties per week for 8h shifts), etc. The very important
taks will determine the types and quality of scheduling options you will
have when constructing the rosters. However, it is just one issue among
many.

![](media/image3.wmf){width="5.072222222222222in"
height="3.4145833333333333in"}

Figure 4: Screenshot of OPA - creating shifts with OPA

#### EXAMPLE: Personnel needed

The following example shows the calculation of personnel needed building
upon the duties and staffing levels defined earlier in the process.

![](media/image4.wmf){width="4.946527777777778in"
height="3.3361111111111112in"}

Figure 5: Screenshot of OPA -- calculation of personnel needed

### The Shift Plan Assistant -- SPA

#### The core ideas of SPA

-   The system shall help in understanding consequences of ones
    requirements.\
    (E.g. what are the consequences of teaming?)

```{=html}
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```
-   Planning ahead gives more room for maneuvering. (Built upon good
    building blocks)

```{=html}
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```
-   If the building blocks are good, the schedule will be good. (The
    system will help me to design this way.)

```{=html}
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```
-   Include plans for contingencies (What-if-analysis ... additional
    demand, sickness \...)

```{=html}
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```
-   Refine when there is more data available

SPA supports

-   design

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-   various techniques for manual design

-   automate generation of rotas

```{=html}
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-   assessment

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-   various representations

-   laws

-   ergonomics

-   cost

```{=html}
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```
-   printouts

The following example shows the Rota Resumee of the simple schedule
shown in the upper part (D ... Day Shift, A ... Afternoon Shift; N ....
Night Shift). Several ergonomic criteria are checked and the system
shows whether or not they are met.

![](media/image5.png){width="6.363194444444445in"
height="4.978472222222222in"}

Figure 6: Screenshot of the workbench of SPA

# Guidelines for evaluating schedules

Various guidelines for scheduling do exist and they vary. - The
following guidelines follow the recommendations from *BEST* (The
**B**ulletin of **E**uropean **S**tudies on **T**ime). *BEST* was
started in 1989, with the aim of bringing the best practice and research
in Europe particularly to the Note: of managers, employees and other
practitioners of shiftwork. *BEST* is published by the European
Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Condition and
presents important developments in the field of time. It is addressed to
those developing policies in this field. *BEST* is published
approximately twice a year; each issue has a theme and is a compilation
of material assembled by a network of experts.

[http://www.eurofound.ie/publications/Working%20Conditions.htm](http://www.eurofound.ie/publications/Working Conditions.htm)

Shiftwork and health, the question 'what are good (or better: not so
bad) shift schedules' is not an easy subject to get into perspective. A
century of research has accumulated, but quite a bit of it is still
controversial.

There is no doubt that shiftwork can cause safety and health problems of
many kinds and of several degrees of severity. However, it does not
happen everywhere and in every category with an inevitability that
results in statistically significant results every time.

BEST presents potential countermeasures to improve life of shiftworkers:

a)  Reduce night and shiftwork as much as possible (however, the actual
    trend is probably the opposite).

b)  Design the shift system according to ergonomic criteria. (See
    ergonomic recommendations)

c)  Try countermeasures (see BEST 3) against:

> • sleep problems;
>
> • problems with appetite and digestion;
>
> • social problems; and
>
> • deficits in training and education.

d)  Learn to adopt an adequate coping behavior (see BEST 3).

e)  Reduce the combination of additional negative working conditions,
    such as night work plus noise, unfavorable climatic conditions, dust
    and so on.

f)  Carry out regular medical surveillance and counseling.

g)  Improve laws.

### Ergonomic recommendations

![](media/image6.png){width="5.549305555555556in"
height="3.6256944444444446in"}

Figure 7: Ergonomic recommendations (following BEST 3 and BEST 4)

Note:

**Forward rotation** means to schedule a series of days of work from
morning to evenings to nights and then a few days off. **Backward
rotation** reverses the direction of shift changes, from day to night to
afternoon shifts. **Fast forward rotation** refers to short periods of
having the same shift (2, 3 days). **Slow rotation** means that shifts
stay the same for longer series of days.

The recommendations listed above often contradict each other to some
degree. Hardly ever can all of them can be met. Furthermore, different
operations have different constraints and working conditions to be
considered. Therefore the application of the recommendations is not easy
and typically not straightforward.

### Fatigue, safety and health 

There is a well-established relation of risks and time of day as shown
in several studies.

![](media/image7.wmf){width="4.558333333333334in"
height="2.9069444444444446in"}

Figure 8: The 24 hour trend in risk (z transformed and double plotted)
from the study of Akerstedt (1995).\
Åkerstedt T (1995); Work injuries and time of day -- national data.
Shiftwork International Newsletter 12(1) 2.

![](media/image8.wmf){width="4.75625in" height="2.8965277777777776in"}

Figure 9: The 24 hour trend in risk (z transformed and double plotted)
from the study of Smith et al (1994).\
Smith L, Folkard S, Poole CJM (1994): Increased injuries on night shift.
Lancet 344, 1137-1139.2.

There is a strong connection of fatigue and (some or all) risks even
though they do not always go hand in hand. A few examples

![](media/image9.wmf){width="4.361111111111111in"
height="2.9055555555555554in"}

Figure 10: The frequency of microsleeps in long haul pilots during two
successive night flights.\
Sammel A, Vejvoda M, Maaß H & Wenzel J (1999); Stress and fatigue in
2-pilot crew long-haul operations. Proceedings of CEAS/AAAF Forum
"Research for Safety in Civil Aviation", Paris, Oct. 21-22, 1999,
Chapter 8.1, 9 p.

![](media/image10.wmf){width="5.363194444444445in"
height="3.379861111111111in"}

Figure 11: The trends over the night shift in relative risk and fatigue
(inverted alertness)\
- presented Simon Folkard - Krakau 2001.

Furthermore, fatigue and health issues overlap to a large extend but are
not identical either. E.g. persons often prefer long periods of night
shifts in order to get better off-time, even though consequences on risk
(and often on fatigue) are worse.

![](media/image11.wmf){width="5.245833333333334in"
height="3.7243055555555555in"}

Figure 12: Risk of consecutive night shifts in six different studies
(1^st^ to 4^th^ night)\
- presented by Simon Folkard - Krakau 2001

### Scheduling in different modes of transportation

Requirements and circumstances of scheduling vary strongly from
organization to organization and often from job to job. However,
different modes of transportation have \'common\' situations (as
discussed in Jessica Kindred - Participatory Design Session Report -
12/19/01, Department of Transportation, Washington, D.C.).

-   Railroad (Commuter, Passenger and Freight):\
    Schedules are characterized by as little as 8 hours between shifts
    and up to 11:59 hours on duty, as well as split shifts with breaks
    as long as four hours. Freight transport is often done at night.
    Passenger conductors are required to be continually alert and active
    throughout a trip, often for long stretches.

-   Transit (Subway and Bus):\
    Bus operator schedules are characterized by split shifts with four
    and more hours of swing shift time between shift-halves. Seniority
    based bidding, based on run-cut schedules, determines weekly and
    daily employee schedules among operators, resulting in typically
    better schedules for older workers. No regulations limit operational
    service hours, and these organizations often depend on considerable
    amounts of over-time work.

-   Interstate truck:\
    Loading and unloading time can entail extensive waiting time on
    these jobs, though there is also great pressure on drivers by
    shippers to turn loads around quickly in order to optimize the asset
    as a warehouse on wheels. Drivers are regulated by hours of service,
    such that drivers can work for 13 consecutive hours, in which they
    can drive for 10 hours total. This rhythm underlies schedule
    practices in the industry, and split shifts are also common here.
    The industry includes independent operators as well as large fleets,
    and schedules range from short haul (1 day there and back) to
    over-the-road hauling (long distance, cross country), presenting a
    wide range of scheduling scenarios.

-   Hazardous Materials Transport:\
    Hazardous materials drivers are often individually charged with
    delivering the job from start to end because of the nature of the
    goods transported. Limited options and availability of safe and
    secure rest locations for hazardous materials truck drivers affect
    the timing and adequacy of their rest on the road.

-   Pipeline:\
    Schedules become problematic when duties extend across many
    consecutive days, for instance, when monitoring a junction.

-   Marine:\
    Schedules run a full range of possibilities, including equal
    duration on- and off- time such as 24 hours on / 24 hours off; 48 on
    / 48 off; 72 on / 72 off. Crew endurance is a major issue, and is
    seen as directly related to both safety and productivity issues.
    Schedules are shaped by mission profiles, including how many
    individuals on board and the skills, abilities, and knowledge of
    each, as well as by past practice.

-   Aviation:\
    Many employee groups are of concern here in terms of schedule
    safety. In civil aviation, the list includes pilots, air traffic
    controllers, maintenance workers, and government inspectors. Pilot
    schedules in aviation are constrained by monthly flying hours, and
    the issue of running out of pilot hours mid-flight is a concern.
    Pilots may be rousted from a hotel to work, as flights are delayed
    for last minute crew compositions. Delays due to weather or
    mechanical difficulty often entail long airport waiting periods as
    well. Air traffic controllers' work time involves periods of on call
    waiting punctuated by intense focused activity. This group uses
    their own scheduling designs and creates schedules internally.
    Federal aviation inspectors are generally understaffed, endure long
    periods of waiting, and are called in as needed as well as on
    scheduled time. Fatigue and safety issues pertain to all of these
    groups. Other categories that may be of concern include independent
    or private operators using their own planes, timeshares, charters,
    and delivery aircraft. Commercial pilots can be broken down into
    package delivery, whose flight work is conducted mostly at night,
    and passenger delivery whose operations take place to some degree at
    night as well. Since the industry is driven by profitability, the
    determination of best vs. most use of assets and employees is an
    issue.

# Introduction to XIMES RAS = Work Schedule Representation and Analysis Software

## Introduction to RAS 

Flexible and irregular hours are typical in transportation as well in
other sectors of industry. They bring advantages and risks. Obviously
risk is of especially high importance in transportation.

However, the discussion of specific advantages and risks is difficult
due to the great diversity of flexible and irregular hours. One flexible
model differs from another. Working hours differ from one week to the
next, from one employee to the other.

Correspondingly it is difficult to discuss direct and indirect
consequences of these hours as well as their interaction with fatigue,
sleep, social activities, etc. The \'normal\' discussion of models does
not suffice. Given the variability of flexible hours, one has to focus
on the actual working hours of employees.

The **Work Schedule** **Representation and Analysis Software (RAS)** is
aimed at supporting the assessment of such actual flexible hours of
work, sleep and other activities of individual employees in two ways.

1.  **ASSESSMENT AND COMPARISON**\
    By automatically calculating a high number of features users can
    easily compare actual flexible hours in various ways. Such
    comparison is supported by calculating numbers as well as by
    powerful visualizations.

2.  **TRANSFER AND APPLY EXISTING KNOWLEDGE**\
    A large amount of knowledge was developed in the last century on the
    effects of night- and shiftwork. While flexible hours differ in many
    ways from classical shiftwork, there are several features in common.
    RAS allows the transfer of recommendations to highlight potentially
    risky features. Additional risk analysis can be applied with further
    criteria.

RAS was developed 2001/2002 in cooperation with

-   the US DOT,

-   shift schedule experts mainly from US and Europe,

-   scientists in the field of occupational health, sleep, risk and
    fatigue research .

## The user interface

RAS is equipped with a graphical user interface and is easily adjustable
according to the specific needs of various user groups. Help is
integrated into the user interface. **Help text** and **background
information** is **displayed automatically**, when navigating through
the system.

After starting XIMES RAS the three main components of the graphical user
interface are displayed:

1.  Menu Bar with Toolbars

2.  Navigation tree = project explorer, providing access to different
    analyses

3.  Workbench, comprising worksheets showing different graphical and
    statistical analyses of the data and help texts.

![](media/image12.png){width="6.455555555555556in"
height="4.120138888888889in"}

Figure 13: User interface of RAS Version 1.0

The picture above shows the user interface of Version 1.0 of the
software. A navigation tree on the left side provides access to the main
features of the software, such as data input, analysis settings and the
different analyses. When selecting a certain feature (e.g. Start and End
Times as shown above) a Workbench window will be shown on the right
side. Here you see the visualization of the distribution of working
start times during a day. The Workbench also provides the statistics
about the start times, which were generated according to the user's
choice.

Version 1.0 strongly focuses on graphical representation of the input
schedule. These representations are easy to access and should help to
understand the features of the schedule. RAS shows whether ergonomic
recommendations are met and provides meaningful summaries. The ergonomic
checks provided by the software are based on guidelines published in the
*BEST*. The values of the check settings are to be seen as initial
values, which can be adjusted with careful consideration. Whether
adjustments to these values are appropriate depends on the specific
situation at hand.

## Examples for assessment and comparison

RAS supports a high number of assessments. A few of them are shown in
the following examples. Two sample data sets are used. One data set
shows the schedule of the engineer of the freight train for the month
before the Hinton Train Disaster. The other data set comes from
personnel working at a tower at an international airport.

### Activity patterns

All activities are displayed in graphs. One has the option of selecting
which activities or combination of activities one want to be displayed.
Activity patterns can be shown in general (e.g., work, break, time off,
commute time, sleep) or in very detailed categories (e.g. stand by,
waiting, driving).

The following example is a data set from Hinton Train Disaster. The
graph shows the activities in a double day representation. The
irregularity of work (orange lines) is easily recognized. The blue lines
show time off.

![](media/image13.png){width="5.879166666666666in"
height="4.1618055555555555in"}

Figure 14: Activity pattern of data set 'Hinton Train Disaster'

The second example below is a schedule from an employee at an airport
tower. The regularity and long periods of time off are easily
recognized.

![](media/image14.png){width="5.955555555555556in" height="4.4625in"}

Figure 15: Activity pattern of data set 'Airport tower'

### When does work start and end?

Start and End Times of entered working times are displayed graphically
and analyzed statistically. The graphic display is carried out in a
circular manner, the circle representing a 24-h-clock. Each start time
is displayed using a dot in the graphic. If more than one duty starts at
the same time the dots are moved towards the center of the circle to
mark their frequency.

![](media/image15.png){width="2.7506944444444446in"
height="2.3680555555555554in"}

Figure 16: Graphic starting times of data set 'Hinton Train Disaster'

This graphic very clearly shows the regularity or irregularity of a
schedule. If the displayed dots are distributed evenly over the circle
this indicates very irregular working times. If the dots accumulate in
certain places of the circle it is an indication for regular start and
end times.

Additionally the Start and End Times are statistically analyzed.
Clusters can be generated by the system using different methods (e.g.,
compute the clusters -- 2h maximal distance between nearest neighbors,
6h maximal distance between first and last element of the cluster).

![](media/image16.png){width="5.9375in" height="1.0611111111111111in"}

Figure 17: Statistic starting times of data set 'Hinton Train Disaster'

The starting times are visualized and calculated in the same way as
described above for the data set 'Airport Tower'. The hours are very
regular as shown in the graphical as well as in the mathematical
analysis.

![](media/image17.png){width="2.738888888888889in"
height="2.3583333333333334in"}

Figure 18: Graphic starting times of data set 'Airport tower'

![](media/image18.png){width="5.983333333333333in" height="0.625in"}

Figure 19: Statistic starting times of data set 'Airport tower'

### Assessment of length

Length may be of interest with respect different time categories: work,
sleep, and commuting. Several visualizations aid the assessment (e.g.
temporal distribution, frequency distribution, sorted by length,). The
following examples show the frequency distribution of both data sets
'Hinton Train Disaster' and 'Airport tower'.

![](media/image19.png){width="5.029166666666667in"
height="3.3409722222222222in"}

Figure 20: Frequency distribution of data set 'Hinton Train Disaster'

![](media/image20.png){width="5.149305555555555in"
height="3.5208333333333335in"}

Figure 21: Frequency distribution of data set 'Airport tower'

### Work Shift Description

The work shift description gives a concise overview over relevant
features of working time.

![](media/image21.png){width="3.1618055555555555in"
height="2.295138888888889in"}
![](media/image22.png){width="3.1493055555555554in"
height="2.2840277777777778in"}

Figure 22: WSD of data set 'Hinton Train Disaster' (left side) and
'Airport tower' (right side)

+----------------+-----------------------------------------------------+
| Working hours  | Displays the working hours per working week.        |
| per week       |                                                     |
|                | [NOTE:]{.underline} The working week is defined     |
|                | under "Settings -- Checks -- Analysis Work --       |
|                | Working Week". This must not be mistaken for the    |
|                | calendar week. A working week, as defined in the    |
|                | RAS system, has 7 x 24 hours starting from the user |
|                | defined start date point.                           |
|                |                                                     |
|                | [Calculation of Minimum, Maximum and Standard       |
|                | deviation:]{.underline} Incomplete weeks are not    |
|                | included in the calculation, as they would distort  |
|                | the result.                                         |
|                |                                                     |
|                | [Calculation Average:]{.underline} Number of        |
|                | working hours divided by number of days multiplied  |
|                | by 7(= Sum working hours / days \* 7)               |
|                |                                                     |
|                | [Example:]{.underline}                              |
|                |                                                     |
|                | As per the user's definition, the working week      |
|                | starts on Sunday, 12:00 AM. The first input of data |
|                | of 3 weeks is on Wednesday, the first week is       |
|                | therefore not complete and will be excluded from    |
|                | the analysis. It would be complete if Time off were |
|                | scheduled from Sunday 12:00 AM to Wednesday 6:00    |
|                | AM.                                                 |
+----------------+-----------------------------------------------------+
| Length of      | Displays the length of duties excluding breaks.     |
| duties         |                                                     |
+----------------+-----------------------------------------------------+
| Number of      | Counts the split shifts per working week.           |
| split shifts   |                                                     |
| per week       | [NOTE:]{.underline} The working week can be set by  |
|                | the user under "Settings -- Checks -- Analysis Work |
|                | -- Working Week" and must not be mistaken for the   |
|                | calendar week. A working week has 7 x 24 hours --   |
|                | starting from this user defined point.              |
|                |                                                     |
|                | [Calculation Minimum, Maximum, and Standard         |
|                | deviation:]{.underline} Incomplete weeks are also   |
|                | included in the calculation.                        |
|                |                                                     |
|                | [Calculation Average:]{.underline} Number of split  |
|                | shifts divided by number of days multiplied by 7(=  |
|                | Split shifts / days \* 7)                           |
+----------------+-----------------------------------------------------+
| Hours of work  | Displays hours of work **before** a break is        |
| before a break | started or before the end of a duty (should the     |
|                | duty not include a break).                          |
+----------------+-----------------------------------------------------+
| Length of a    | Displays the length of a break.                     |
| break          |                                                     |
+----------------+-----------------------------------------------------+
| Start of       | Displays the start time of morning shifts in a      |
| morning shifts | schedule.                                           |
|                |                                                     |
|                | [NOTE:]{.underline} The times defining a morning    |
|                | shift can be set under "Settings -- Checks --       |
|                | Analysis Work -- Kind of Duties".                   |
+----------------+-----------------------------------------------------+
| End of night   | Displays the end time of night shifts in a          |
| shifts         | schedule.                                           |
|                |                                                     |
|                | [NOTE:]{.underline} Night shifts are all duties     |
|                | that are at least to some extent worked during the  |
|                | night hours. Night Hours can be defined in          |
|                | "Settings -- Checks -- Analysis Work -- Kind of     |
|                | Duties".                                            |
|                |                                                     |
|                | [Example:]{.underline}                              |
|                |                                                     |
|                | If night Hours have been defined as hours between   |
|                | 02:59 AM and 05:00 AM, a duty that starts at 4:45   |
|                | AM and ends at 11:45 AM is considered a night       |
|                | shift.                                              |
+----------------+-----------------------------------------------------+
| Length of      | Displays the length of morning/day shifts in a      |
| morning/day    | schedule.                                           |
| shifts         |                                                     |
|                | [NOTE:]{.underline} The times defining a            |
|                | morning/day shift can be set under "Settings --     |
|                | Checks -- Analysis Work -- Kind of Duties".         |
+----------------+-----------------------------------------------------+
| Length of      | Displays the Length of afternoon/evening shifts in  |
| aft            | a schedule.                                         |
| ernoon/evening |                                                     |
| shifts         | [NOTE:]{.underline} The times defining an afternoon |
|                | shift can be set by the user under "Settings --     |
|                | Checks -- Analysis Work -- Kind of Duties".         |
|                |                                                     |
|                | [Example:]{.underline}                              |
|                |                                                     |
|                | The time span for an afternoon shift has been       |
|                | defined from 12:00 PM to 02:59 AM in „Settings --   |
|                | Checks -- Analysis Work -- Kind of Duties".         |
|                |                                                     |
|                | A duty starting at 2:30 PM with a length of 8 hours |
|                | is therefore an afternoon shift.                    |
|                |                                                     |
|                | A duty starting at 11:50 AM but not reaching the    |
|                | night hours with its length is neither an afternoon |
|                | shift nor a night shift, and is hence considered a  |
|                | morning/day shift.                                  |
|                |                                                     |
|                | A duty starting at 09:00 PM and ending at 03:00 AM  |
|                | is NOT an afternoon shift if the night hours are    |
|                | defined between 2:59 AM and 5:00 AM.                |
+----------------+-----------------------------------------------------+
| Length of      | Displays the Length of night shifts in a schedule.  |
| night shifts   |                                                     |
|                | [NOTE:]{.underline} Night shifts are all duties     |
|                | that are at least to some extent worked during the  |
|                | night hours. Night Hours can be defined in          |
|                | "Settings -- Checks -- Analysis Work -- Kind of     |
|                | Duties".                                            |
|                |                                                     |
|                | [Example:]{.underline}                              |
|                |                                                     |
|                | If night Hours are defined as those between 02:59   |
|                | AM and 05:00 AM, a duty that starts at 4:45 AM and  |
|                | ends at 11:45 AM is considered a night shift.       |
+----------------+-----------------------------------------------------+
| Days of        | Displays the number of morning or day shifts before |
| morning or day | a change of shift or a time off period that is      |
| shifts before  | longer than the user-defined Rest time set under    |
| changing       | "Settings -- Checks -- Definition series of         |
|                | duties".                                            |
+----------------+-----------------------------------------------------+
| Days of        | Displays the number of afternoon shifts before a    |
| morning or day | change of shift or a time off period that is longer |
| shifts before  | than the user-defined Rest time set under "Settings |
| changing       | -- Checks -- Definition series of duties".          |
+----------------+-----------------------------------------------------+
| Days of night  | Displays the number of night shifts before a change |
| shifts before  | of shift or a time off period that is longer than   |
| changing       | the user-defined Rest time set under "Settings --   |
|                | Checks -- Definition series of duties".             |
+----------------+-----------------------------------------------------+
| Successive     | Displays the number of consecutive duties. If the   |
| days of work   | user-defined Rest time determined in "Settings --   |
|                | Checks -- Definition series of duties" is exceeded, |
|                | the series of duties ends.                          |
+----------------+-----------------------------------------------------+
| Number of      | Counts how often the rest between duties falls      |
| rests \< 8 h   | under 8 hours per working week.                     |
| (between       |                                                     |
| duties/per     | [NOTE:]{.underline} The working week can be defined |
| week)          | by the user under "Settings -- Checks -- Analysis   |
|                | Work -- Working Week" and must not be mistaken for  |
|                | the calendar week. A working week has 7 x 24 hours  |
|                | -- starting from the user-defined start date point. |
|                |                                                     |
|                | [Calculation Minimum, Maximum and Standard          |
|                | deviation:]{.underline} Incomplete weeks are also   |
|                | included in the calculation.                        |
|                |                                                     |
|                | [Calculation Average:]{.underline} Number of        |
|                | occurrences divided by number of days multiplied by |
|                | 7(=occurrences / days \* 7).                        |
+----------------+-----------------------------------------------------+
| Number of      | Counts how often the rest between duties falls      |
| rests \< 11 h  | under 11 hours per working week.                    |
| (between       |                                                     |
| duties/per     |                                                     |
| week)          |                                                     |
+----------------+-----------------------------------------------------+
| Number of      | Counts how often the rest between duties falls      |
| rests \< 13 h  | under 13 hours per working week.                    |
| (between       |                                                     |
| duties/per     |                                                     |
| week)          |                                                     |
+----------------+-----------------------------------------------------+
| Length of      | Displays the length of the longest weekly break.    |
| longest weekly |                                                     |
| break          | [NOTE:]{.underline} The working week can be defined |
|                | under "Settings -- Checks -- Analysis Work --       |
|                | Working Week" and must not be mistaken for the      |
|                | calendar week. A working week has 7 x 24 hours --   |
|                | starting from the user defined start date point.    |
|                |                                                     |
|                | [Calculation of all four values:]{.underline}       |
|                | Incomplete weeks are not included in the            |
|                | calculation.                                        |
|                |                                                     |
|                | [Example:]{.underline}                              |
|                |                                                     |
|                | As per the user's definition, the working week      |
|                | starts on Sunday, 12:00 AM. If the first input of   |
|                | data of 3 weeks is on Wednesday, the first week is  |
|                | not considered complete. It would be complete if    |
|                | Time off were scheduled from Monday 12:00 AM to     |
|                | Wednesday 6:00 AM.                                  |
|                |                                                     |
|                | The only rest times calculated are the ones that    |
|                | clearly fall into the definition of the respective  |
|                | week.                                               |
|                |                                                     |
|                | [Example:]{.underline}                              |
|                |                                                     |
|                | As per the user's definition, the working week      |
|                | starts on Sunday, 12:00 AM. One Time Off period     |
|                | starts on Sunday at 10.00 PM, lasts for 72 hours,   |
|                | and is therefore distributed over two consecutive   |
|                | weeks as follows: 2 hours in the first week, 70     |
|                | hours in the second week.                           |
+----------------+-----------------------------------------------------+
| Weekends off   | Displays the number of weekends off in a schedule.  |
|                | A weekend is considered a weekend off if no duties  |
|                | are put down from Saturday 12:00 AM to Monday 12:00 |
|                | AM.                                                 |
+----------------+-----------------------------------------------------+
| Days off in a  | Displays the number of days off after work.         |
| row after a    |                                                     |
| period of work | [NOTE:]{.underline} A day off is a calendar day     |
|                | (12:00 AM to 12:00 AM next day) without scheduled   |
|                | work, hence without start or end of a duty.         |
+----------------+-----------------------------------------------------+

## Transfer/apply existing knowledge

There are numerous recommendations for the design of regular shift
systems. RAS helps to transfer these recommendations and allows for
adaptation to specific circumstances.

### Defining the thresholds values

RAS allows defining thresholds at two levels: for 8h duties and for 12h
duties. The split evaluation of series of duties with a length of 8 and
12 hours is necessary to accurately evaluate series of duties that
include duties of different lengths (to deal with e.g. 8:30, 11:30,
13:30 lengths).

[Actual thresholds have to be adapted to specific
circumstances.]{.underline}

The evaluation of a series of duties is displayed using different colors
in the respective cells. The evaluation chart consists of the following
attributes: "Critical" (=red), "Problematical" (=orange), "OK" (=white).

These values can be assigned to the respective lengths of series of
duties using the context menu (right mouse-click).

#### Example:

You want a block of consecutive afternoon shifts with a length of \"5\"
(hence a series of 5 afternoon shifts in a row) to be assessed as
\"Problematical\".

![](media/image23.png){width="4.850694444444445in" height="1.05625in"}

Click the cell in the row \"Number of consecutive afternoon shifts\" in
the column \"5\". The selected cell will appear highlighted.
Right-clicking the mouse will bring up a context menu where you can
select \"Problematical\".

#### Example for 8h duty definition:

![](media/image24.png){width="4.850694444444445in" height="1.05625in"}

![](media/image25.png){width="4.850694444444445in"
height="0.5145833333333333in"}

(See also Chapter discussion on threshold values)

#### Example for 12h duty definition:

![](media/image26.png){width="4.850694444444445in" height="1.05625in"}

![](media/image25.png){width="4.850694444444445in"
height="0.5145833333333333in"}

(See also Chapter Discussion on threshold values)

### Applying the checks (Rota Résumé)

Analyzed schedules are evaluated in the **Rota Résumé** in respect to
the user-defined settings (as discussed above). The "Rota Résumé"
evaluates central ergonomic characteristics of the schedule.

The criteria used in the "Rota Résumé" can be split into two groups:

1.  criteria for the evaluation of duties and

2.  criteria for the evaluation of time off and rest time.

![](media/image27.png){width="5.36875in" height="4.690277777777778in"}

Figure 23: Rota Résumé of data set 'Hinton Train Disaster'

### Discussion of threshold values

The given values are to be seen as initial values, which can be adjusted
with careful consideration. Whether adjustments to these values are
appropriate depends on the specific situation at hand.

For instance, adjustments would be appropriate if the work is very
straining or if there are extremely good recreational options at the
working place.

#### The initial values are based on recommendations from the scientific literature:

\[BEST\] WEDDERBURN, A., Ed. (1991). **Guidelines for Shiftworkers**.
BEST - Bulletin of European Time Studies. Dublin, European Foundation
for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions.

\[Knauth\] KNAUTH, P. (1996). **Design of Shiftwork Systems. Shiftwork -
Problems and Solutions**. P. W. COLQUHOUN, G. COSTA, S. FOLKARD and P.
KNAUTH. Frankfurt am Main, Peter Lang - Europäischer Verlag der
Wissenschaften.

\[Kundi\] GÄRTNER, J., M. KUNDI, S. WAHL, K. HÖRWEIN, G. HERBER, M.
JANKE, I. CARLBERG, J. VOß and H. P. CONRAD (1998). **Handbuch
Schichtpläne - Planungstechnik, Entwicklung, Ergonomie, Umfeld**.
Zürich, vdf an der ETH-Zürich

+------------------+-------------------------+-------------------------+
| **Criterion**    | **Di                    | **Dis                   |
|                  | scussion/Recommendation | cussion/Recommendation\ |
|                  | on 8 hour-values**      | on 12 hour-values**     |
+------------------+-------------------------+-------------------------+
| Number of        | -   Minimal consecutive | -   12h shifts result   |
| consecutive      |     night shifts keep   |     in higher strain    |
| night shifts     |     sleep deprivation   |     and noticeably      |
|                  |     down and ensure     |     reduced rest times, |
|                  |     regular social      |     when rest times     |
|                  |     contact.            |     associated with 12h |
|                  |                         |     shifts should       |
|                  | ```{=html}              |     actually be longer  |
|                  | <!-- -->                |     since the strain is |
|                  | ```                     |     higher.             |
|                  | -   As a rule, not more |                         |
|                  |     than 2-4 \[BEST\],  | ```{=html}              |
|                  |     2-3 \[Kundi\]       | <!-- -->                |
|                  |     consecutive night   | ```                     |
|                  |     shifts are          | -   Therefore the       |
|                  |     recommended.        |     system recommended  |
|                  |                         |     values for          |
|                  |                         |     consecutive nights  |
|                  |                         |     shifts are lower.   |
+------------------+-------------------------+-------------------------+
| Number of        | -   Consecutive         | -   As in the above     |
| consecutive      |     afternoon shifts    |     point, higher       |
| afternoon shifts |     are straining from  |     strains and reduced |
|                  |     a social point of   |     rest times          |
|                  |     view. They affect   |     associated with     |
|                  |     important periods   |     longer shifts also  |
|                  |     of times.           |     demand shorter      |
|                  |                         |     series of duties.   |
|                  | -   Long series of      |                         |
|                  |     afternoon shifts    |                         |
|                  |     should therefore be |                         |
|                  |     avoided.            |                         |
|                  |                         |                         |
|                  | -   The limits follow   |                         |
|                  |     those of combined   |                         |
|                  |     night-afternoon     |                         |
|                  |     duties.             |                         |
+------------------+-------------------------+-------------------------+
| Number of        | -   If family aspects   | -   As in the above     |
| consecutive      |     are important, the  |     point, higher       |
| afternoon and    |     sequences           |     strains and reduced |
| night shifts     |     containing          |     rest times          |
|                  |     afternoon and night |     associated with     |
|                  |     shifts should not   |     longer shifts also  |
|                  |     exceed 4            |     demand shorter      |
|                  |     consecutive duties  |     series of duties.   |
|                  |     -- under special    |                         |
|                  |     circumstances 5     |                         |
|                  |     \[Kundi\].          |                         |
+------------------+-------------------------+-------------------------+
| Number of        | -   For reasons of work | -   As in the above     |
| consecutive work |     strains, the number |     point, higher       |
| days             |     of consecutive      |     strains and reduced |
|                  |     workdays should not |     rest times          |
|                  |     exceed 6,7 to 8     |     associated with     |
|                  |     days at a maximum.  |     longer shifts also  |
|                  |     This upper limit    |     demand shorter      |
|                  |     very much depends   |     series of duties.   |
|                  |     on the work strains |                         |
|                  |     \[Kundi\].          |                         |
+------------------+-------------------------+-------------------------+
| Consecutive work | -   It is possible to   | -   As in the above     |
| days with less   |     have very long      |     point, higher       |
| than 48 hours    |     series of duties    |     strains and reduced |
| off in between   |     without ever        |     rest times          |
|                  |     achieving connected |     associated with     |
|                  |     times off. The      |     longer shifts also  |
|                  |     recommendation      |     demand shorter      |
|                  |     \[BEST\] suggests   |     series of duties.   |
|                  |     aiming for times    |                         |
|                  |     off that include 2  |                         |
|                  |     consecutive days    |                         |
|                  |     (ideally on         |                         |
|                  |     weekends).          |                         |
+------------------+-------------------------+-------------------------+
| Rest after       | -   Continuous          | -   Identical. Concern  |
| series of night  |     schedules with time |     focuses on the      |
| duties           |     off after night     |     reduction of sleep  |
|                  |     shifts is           |     deprivation.        |
|                  |     recommended based   |                         |
|                  |     on recommendations  |                         |
|                  |     for forward-rolling |                         |
|                  |     rostering \[BEST    |                         |
|                  |     p.15\] and concern  |                         |
|                  |     about sleep         |                         |
|                  |     deprivation after   |                         |
|                  |     night duties and    |                         |
|                  |     for series of night |                         |
|                  |     duties \[KUNDI\].   |                         |
|                  |                         |                         |
|                  | -   The recommendation  |                         |
|                  |     of 47h refers to    |                         |
|                  |     \[Knauth p.156 --   |                         |
|                  |     48h\] but allows a  |                         |
|                  |     small deviation.    |                         |
|                  |                         |                         |
|                  | -   The rating of 28h   |                         |
|                  |     as critical refers  |                         |
|                  |     to difficulties of  |                         |
|                  |     sleeping once or    |                         |
|                  |     twice.              |                         |
+------------------+-------------------------+-------------------------+

# Hands-on practice using RAS

## Example 1: A simple regular schedule

### Aims of this session

-   Getting an overview of the RAS user interface

-   Learning how to input data manually

-   Getting an first overview of various analysis

-   Getting a first overview about the check settings

-   Getting a first overview about the connection between settings and
    calculation of analyses

### Background to the schedule

Base series: MMAANN\--

::: Definition
Work hours per week in average (over 8 weeks): 42.0 hours
:::

![](media/image28.png){width="4.48125in" height="1.7819444444444446in"}

Figure 24: a simple regular schedule with a base series of MMAANN\--

### What to do?

Enter the data of the schedule and save the file in folder "Example1"
under the name "MyFirstFile.ras".

HINTS:

-   You only have to input the duties. The input of time off is only
    necessary at the beginning and the end of the schedule and only if
    you want to analyze the whole 10 weeks.

-   Save the file immediately. You don't have to enter all data first.

-   Save several times.

-   For the input use the sheet "Input from/Length". It's the fastest
    way. Use **Copy And Paste** functionality.

-   Are you tired of entering data but you are not finished yet?\
    Use the file "Example1.ras" in folder "Example1"

## Example 2: Hinton Train Disaster

### Aims of this session

-   Applying know-how from the introduction (and session 1) regarding
    the connection between settings and calculation of analyses

### Background to the schedule

In February of 1986 a head-on collision occurred between a freight train
and a passenger train in western Canada killing 23 people and causing
over \$30 million of damage. A Commission of Inquiry appointed by the
Canadian government concluded that human error was the major reason for
the collision.

> \[A.M.Smiley, **The Hinton Train Disaster**,\
> Human Factors North Inc., 118 Baldwin St., Toronto, M5T1L6, Cananda.\]

The given schedule shows the schedule of the engineer of the freight
train for the month before the accident.

#### More info about the Hinton Train Disaster: ![](media/image29.png){width="0.9701388888888889in" height="0.5208333333333334in"}

At <http://report.ca/classics/02171986/p30i860217f.html> you find the
cover story of the newsmagazine REPORT Canada's Independent from
February 17, 1986.

### Please answer the following questions:

Use the file „**Example2_HintonTrainDisaster.ras** " from folder
"**Example2**" to answer the questions:

1.  **Where can new sub-categories to existing main-activities be
    defined?**

> a\) Under the node "[Data -- Data Sheet]{.underline}" on the sheet
> "[Input From/Length]{.underline}"
>
> b\) Under the node "[Settings -- Checks]{.underline}" on the sheet
> "[Kind of Duties]{.underline}"
>
> c\) Under the node "[Analyses -- Work Pattern]{.underline}" on the
> sheet "[Duties]{.underline}"
>
> d\) Under the node "[Settings -- General]{.underline}" on the sheet
> "[Input categories]{.underline}"

2.  **Where can the beginning of the individual working week be
    defined?**

> a\) Under the node "[Settings -- General]{.underline}" on the sheet
> "[View]{.underline}"
>
> b\) Under the node "[Settings -- Checks]{.underline}" on the sheet
> "[Kind of Duties]{.underline}"
>
> c\) Under the node "[Settings -- Checks]{.underline}" on the sheet
> "[Working Week]{.underline}"
>
> d\) Under the node "[Settings -- Checks]{.underline}" on the sheet
> "[Daily Working Hours]{.underline}"

3.  **Regularity or irregularity of a schedule can be shown with the
    Analysis "Start And End Time". Please interpret the following
    graphics:\
    **![](media/image30.png){width="2.703472222222222in"
    height="2.3270833333333334in"}
    ![](media/image31.png){width="2.7194444444444446in"
    height="2.3375in"}

> a\) If the displayed dots are [distributed evenly]{.underline} over
> the circle this indicates very [irregular]{.underline} [working
> times]{.underline}. Therefore the schedule on the left side is an
> irregular schedule and the schedule on the right side is a regular
> schedule.
>
> b\) If the displayed dots are [distributed evenly]{.underline} over
> the circle this indicates [very regular working times]{.underline}.
> Therefore the schedule on the left side is a regular schedule and the
> schedule on the right side is an irregular schedule.

4.  **In order to be able to analyze what kind of duty a person works,
    RAS needs a definition of night shifts, afternoon shifts and morning
    (day) shifts. Where can the definition be found?**

> a\) Under the node "[Settings -- General]{.underline}" on the sheet
> "[View]{.underline}"
>
> b\) Under the node "[Settings -- Checks]{.underline}" on the sheet
> "[Series Of Duties]{.underline}"
>
> c\) Under the node "[Settings -- Checks]{.underline}" on the sheet
> "[Kind of Duties]{.underline}"
>
> d\) Under the node "[Settings -- Checks]{.underline}" on the sheet
> "[Daily Working Hours]{.underline}"

5.  **In which assessments does RAS interpret morning (day), afternoon
    and night shifts (and therefore needs the definition of these three
    kinds of duties)? Note: multiple answers possible!**

> a\) Activity Pattern (under the node "[Analyses -- Activity
> Pattern]{.underline}" on the sheet "[Pattern]{.underline}")
>
> b\) Work Pattern (under the node "[Analyses -- Work
> Pattern]{.underline}" on the sheet "[Pattern]{.underline}")
>
> c\) Distribution of duties (under the node "[Analyses -- Work
> Pattern]{.underline}" on the sheet "[Duties]{.underline}")
>
> d\) Frequency distribution of length (under the node "[Analyses --
> Work Pattern]{.underline}" on the sheet "[Frequency]{.underline}")
>
> e\) Summary (under the node "[Analyses -- Work Pattern]{.underline}"
> on the sheet "[Summary]{.underline}")
>
> f\) Summary (under the node "[Analyses -- Time Off
> Pattern]{.underline}" on the sheet "[Summary]{.underline}")
>
> g\) Distribution of end times during a day (under the node "[Analyses
> -- Start and End time]{.underline}" on the sheet "[End
> times]{.underline}")
>
> h\) Work Shift Description (under the node "[Summary --
> WSD]{.underline}" on the sheet "[Work Shift Description]{.underline}")
>
> i\) Rota Resumé (under the node "[Summary -- Rota Resumé]{.underline}"
> on the sheet "[Rota Resumé]{.underline}")

6.  **Which of the given duties are night shifts according to RAS? Use
    the default definition of duties.\
    **![](media/image32.png){width="3.8243055555555556in"
    height="2.657638888888889in"}**\
    Note: multiple answers possible!**

> a\) work from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM (length of 8 hours)
>
> b\) 4 hours of work, starting from 11:00 PM
>
> c\) 4 hours of work, starting from 10:30 PM
>
> d\) work from 5:00 AM to 1:00 PM (length of 8 hours)
>
> e\) work from 4:30 AM to 12:30 PM (length of 8 hours)
>
> f\) work from 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM, then an unpaid break of 2 hours,
> then 2 hours 50 minutes work
>
> g\) work from 10:00 PM to 2:45 AM, then an unpaid break until 5:00 AM,
> then work from 5:00 AM to 7:00 AM

7.  **Which of the given duties are afternoon shifts according to RAS?
    Use the default definition of duties as in Q6. Note: multiple
    answers possible!**

> a\) work from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM (length of 8 hours)
>
> b\) 4 hours of work, starting from 11:00 PM
>
> c\) 4 hours of work, starting from 10:30 PM
>
> d\) work from 5:00 AM to 1:00 PM (length of 8 hours)
>
> e\) work from 4:30 AM to 12:30 PM (length of 8 hours)
>
> f\) work from 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM, then an unpaid break of 2 hours,
> then 2 hours 50 minutes work
>
> g\) work from 10:00 PM to 2:45 AM, then an unpaid break until 5:00 AM,
> then work from 5:00 AM to 7:00 AM

8.  **In order to be able to analyze if a person works in split shifts,
    RAS needs a definition of split shifts. Where can the definition be
    found?**

> a\) Under the node "[Settings -- General]{.underline}" on the sheet
> "[View]{.underline}"
>
> b\) Under the node "[Settings -- Checks]{.underline}" on the sheet
> "[Series Of Duties]{.underline}"
>
> c\) Under the node "[Settings -- Checks]{.underline}" on the sheet
> "[Kind of Duties]{.underline}"
>
> d\) Under the node "[Settings -- Checks]{.underline}" on the sheet
> "[Daily Working Hours]{.underline}"

9.  **In which assessments does RAS interpret split shifts (and
    therefore needs the definition of split shifts). Note: multiple
    answers possible!**

> a\) Activity Pattern (under the node "[Analyses -- Activity
> Pattern]{.underline}" on the sheet "[Pattern]{.underline}")
>
> b\) Graph of Work Pattern (under the node "[Analyses -- Work
> Pattern]{.underline}" on the sheet "[Pattern]{.underline}")
>
> c\) Distribution of duties (under the node "[Analyses -- Work
> Pattern]{.underline}" on the sheet "[Duties]{.underline}")
>
> d\) Graph of frequency distribution of length (under the node
> "[Analyses -- Work Pattern]{.underline}" on the sheet
> "[Frequency]{.underline}")
>
> e\) Graph of length of duties rostered (under the node "[Analyses --
> Work Pattern]{.underline}" on the sheet "[Length
> rostered]{.underline}")
>
> f\) Summary (under the node "[Analyses -- Work Pattern]{.underline}"
> on the sheet "[Summary]{.underline}")
>
> g\) Summary (under the node "[Analyses -- Time Off
> Pattern]{.underline}" on the sheet "[Summary]{.underline}")
>
> h\) Distribution of end times during a day (under the node "[Analyses
> -- Start and End time]{.underline}" on the sheet "[End
> times]{.underline}")
>
> i\) Work Shift Description (under the node "[Summary --
> WSD]{.underline}" on the sheet "[Work Shift Description]{.underline}")
>
> j\) Rota Resumé (under the node "[Summary -- Rota Resumé]{.underline}"
> on the sheet "[Rota Resumé]{.underline}")

10. **What is the meaning of white and gray cells in the sheets of the
    node "Data Sheet"?\
    Note: multiple answers possible!**

::: Definition
> a\) White cells never show data.
:::

> b\) White cells mean that you can enter data in these.
>
> c\) Gray cells are blocked for entering data.
>
> d\) Gray cells always show date values.

## Example 3: Train driver

### Aims of this session

-   Detailed introduction of various work analyses provided by RAS

-   Applying know-how from introduction (and session 1+2)

### Background to the given schedule

The given schedule is a schedule of a train driver. There are different
kinds of work during a duty.

-   The person drives the whole train (preparation time, closing
    procedure included).

-   He/she drives only the locomotive (preparation time, closing
    procedure included).

-   He/she is a co-driver.

-   There is waiting time between driving. If the length of the waiting
    time is less than 2 hours, the time is counted as working time. A
    break between duties with a length of 2 hours and more is unpaid and
    therefore time off (=\> split shifts).

### Please answer the following questions:

Use the file „ **Example3TrainDriver.ras**" from folder "**Example3**"
to answer the questions:

1.  How many days does the schedule include?\
    \
    \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

2.  How many duties does the person in question have to work?\
    \
    \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

3.  How many of the duties are split shifts?\
    \
    \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

4.  How many duties have a length of 12 to 13 hours?\
    \
    \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

5.  On which days between 06/10/2001 and 06/23/2001 do split shifts
    occur?\
    \
    \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

6.  How many night duties are scheduled in the week from 07/22/01 to
    07/28/01?\
    \
    \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

7.  How many split shifts are scheduled in the week from 06/17/01 to
    06/23/01?\
    \
    \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

8.  How high is the percentage of split shifts?\
    \
    \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

9.  What is the standard deviation of the length of duties?\
    \
    \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

10. List all sub-categories of work.\
    \
    \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--\
    \
    \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

11. What is the reason for using the sub-category "split shift" of the
    main-category "Time off"? What kind of category (sub-category) could
    you use instead of the given sub-category "split shift"? What's the
    effect?\
    HINT: open "[Example3TrainDriverVersion2.ras]{.underline}" (folder
    [Example3]{.underline}) to find out.\
    \
    \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--\
    \
    \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

12. How many hours (paid hours) worked the person in question?\
    \
    \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

13. How many hours worked the person in question as a co-driver?\
    \
    \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

14. How many hours worked the person in question as a [train driver AND
    driver of only the locomotive]{.underline}?\
    \
    \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

15. How many hours of waiting time (paid and unpaid) had the train
    driver?\
    \
    \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

16. How long is the longest block of consecutive time off in this
    schedule?\
    \
    \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

17. Are there times that show an accumulation of start times of duties,
    i.e. [more than]{.underline} 3 duties in one hour?\
    \
    \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--\
    \
    \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

18. Are there times that show an accumulation of end times of duties,
    i.e. [more than]{.underline} 3 duties in one hour?\
    \
    \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--\
    \
    \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

## Example 4: Airport tower controller

### Aims of this session

-   Self-study

-   Printing

-   Assessment and comparison

### Background to the given schedule

![](media/image33.png){width="4.502083333333333in"
height="1.9694444444444446in"}

Figure 25: Data by Austro Control (Airport Vienna), shift schedule from
October to November 2001

![](media/image34.png){width="4.75in" height="1.6229166666666666in"}

### What to do?

-   Enter work schedule information and save the file.

-   Look at the analyses and interpret them (in particular the Work
    Shift Description and the Rota Resumé).

-   Print some reports to Microsoft®Excel.

-   Compare this schedule with the schedule of Hinton Train Disaster.\
    (file „**Example2_HintonTrainDisaster.ras** " from folder
    "**Example2**")

## Example 5: Import data from an Microsoft® Excel file into RAS

### Aims of this session

-   Introduction into the operation of the RAS Import Wizard.

-   Import of an Excel-file into the RAS-System.

-   The file contains information on sign up and sign end times of
    duties.

### What to do?

1.  Start the RAS Import Wizard.\
    (To start the RAS Import Wizard select "Import..." from the "File"
    menu in the RAS application.)

2.  RAS Import Wizard Step1: Choose the file "**Example5_Import.xls**"
    from folder "**Example5**" as the file you want to import.

3.  Go through the RAS Import Wizard. Select the necessary options.

4.  Save the file under the name "Example5a.ras" (last step of the RAS
    Import Wizard).

## Example 6: Import data from a text file into RAS

### Aims of this session

-   Deepening knowledge about the RAS Import Wizard.

-   Assign various activities from the import file to RAS activities.

### What to do?

1.  Start the RAS Import Wizard.\
    (To start the RAS Import Wizard select "Import..." from the "File"
    menu in the RAS application.)

2.  RAS Import Wizard Step1: Choose the file "**Example5_Import_2.txt**"
    from folder "**Example5**" as the file you want to import.\
    Column 1 of the import file contains information on the kind of
    activity for the respective record.

> The symbols used stand for:\
> W = Work\
> C = Commute\
> T = Time off\
> S = Sleep

3.  Go through the RAS Import Wizard. Select the necessary options.

4.  Save the file under the name "**Example5B.ras**" (last step of the
    RAS Import Wizard).

# Feedback on tool interface, representations and functionality

We ask for feedback on the following issues:

1.  Ideas for additional functionality

-   Importing data

-   General assessment

-   Reports

2.  Ideas for improving interaction

3.  Ideas for improving existing functionality

4.  Ideas for improving representations

5.  Ideas for improving naming and wording

Please send back the feedback to

<wahl@ximes.com>

Thank you!

# Appendix: XIMES -- background information

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| XIMES -    | 1992 Start of research at the Technical University of   |
| History    | Vienna                                                  |
|            |                                                         |
|            | 1994 Start of software development (Shift Plan          |
|            | Assistant)                                              |
|            |                                                         |
|            | 1995 Start of Consulting                                |
|            |                                                         |
|            | 1997 Setting up companies in Austria and Germany        |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| XIMES -    | -   SW-Development (SPA, OPA, ... )                     |
| areas of   |                                                         |
| work:      | -   Consulting                                          |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   Research                                            |
|            |                                                         |
|            | Numerous international projects and cooperation's:      |
|            |                                                         |
|            | e.g. US, UK, NL, F, Japan                               |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| !          | Johannes Gärtner, MS in Computer Sciences, Ph.D.,       |
| [](media/i |                                                         |
| mage35.wmf | -   Certified Management Consultant                     |
| ){width="1 |                                                         |
| .129166666 | ```{=html}                                              |
| 6666667in" | <!-- -->                                                |
| height="1. | ```                                                     |
| 6618055555 | -   University-dozent at Vienna\'s University of        |
| 555555in"} |     Technology, lecturing on software development and   |
|            |     on shift scheduling                                 |
|            |                                                         |
|            | ```{=html}                                              |
|            | <!-- -->                                                |
|            | ```                                                     |
|            | -   Recognized expert in computer support for           |
|            |     shift-scheduling since 1992 with a large number of  |
|            |     high ranking publications in the field (e.g. two    |
|            |     books on design of working hours)                   |
|            |                                                         |
|            | ```{=html}                                              |
|            | <!-- -->                                                |
|            | ```                                                     |
|            | -   Co-Editor of the Shiftwork International            |
|            |     Newsletter.                                         |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   Principle founder, owner and CEO of XIMES GmbH      |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| !          | Sabine Wahl, MS in Computer Sciences, MBA               |
| [](media/i |                                                         |
| mage36.png | -   Developed the system Shift-Plan-Assistant           |
| ){width="1 |     Scheduling software since 1994.                     |
| .127083333 |                                                         |
| 3333334in" | ```{=html}                                              |
| height="1. | <!-- -->                                                |
| 6902777777 | ```                                                     |
| 777778in"} | -   Responsible for a group of 5 software, interface    |
|            |     and algorithm developers since 1998                 |
|            |                                                         |
|            | ```{=html}                                              |
|            | <!-- -->                                                |
|            | ```                                                     |
|            | -   Co-founder, owner and COO of XIMES GmbH             |
|            |                                                         |
|            | ```{=html}                                              |
|            | <!-- -->                                                |
|            | ```                                                     |
|            | -   Senior shift scheduling system consultant with      |
|            |     extensive publications in the area (e.g., (Wahl and |
|            |     Gärtner 1998)).                                     |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

# Appendix -- Answers for hands-on practice

### Example 2: Hinton Train Disaster

A1: d)

A2: c)

A3: a)

A4: c)

A5: c), e), h), i)

A6: a), b), e)\
Comment to g): Duty g is a split shift, but not a night shift, because
there is an unpaid break during the period where the night hours are
defined.

A7: c), f), g)

A8: c)

A9: c), e), f), i)

A10: b), c)

### Example 3: Train driver

**A1: 51 days\
**Under "Analysis -- Work Pattern" you can find the number of days of
the schedule on sheets 1 to 4 in the statistics displayed below the
charts.

**A2: 18 duties\
**Under "Analysis -- Work Pattern" you can find the number of duties on
sheets 1 to 4 in the statistics displayed below the charts.

**A3: 9 duties are split shifts\
**Under "Analysis -- Work Pattern" you can find the number of split
shifts on sheets 1 to 4 in the statistics displayed below the charts.

**A4: 4 duties\
**The answer can be found in the graphic display on the sheet
"Frequency" under "Analysis -- Work Pattern".

**A5: Tuesday 06/12/01; Sunday 06/17/01; Thursday 6/21/01**\
This answer can be found on the sheet "Duties" under "Analysis -- Work
Pattern". Split shifts are displayed with yellow cell background.
Additional information for a duty can be obtained by clicking the
respective cell.

**A6: 2 night duties**\
The answer can be found on the sheet "Duties" under "Analysis -- Work
Pattern".

**A7: 2 split shifts**\
The answer can be found on the sheet "Duties" under "Analysis -- Work
Pattern".

**A8: 50%**\
The answer can be found on the sheet "summary" under "Analysis -- Work
Pattern".

**A9: 1 hour 50 minutes**\
The answer can be found under "Analysis -- Work Pattern" as well as on
the sheet "Summary" and in the statistics displayed below the charts on
sheets 1 to 4.

**A10: driving train, co-driver, driving only locomotive, between
(waiting, etc)**\
The answer can be found under "Settings - General" on the sheet "Input
Categories".

**A 11:** [Reason:]{.underline} **to get data about the unpaid break
between split shifts** by selecting the sub-category \"split shift" on
sheet "Pattern" under „Analysis -- Time Off Pattern". **\
**[Other possibility:]{.underline} **using the sub-category "Break --
unpaid"\
**[Effect:]{.underline} **there is no statistic given about breaks in
version 1.0.**

**A12: 176 hours 27 minutes**\
The answer can be found on the sheet 1 to 4 under "Analysis -- Work
Pattern" in the statistics displayed below the charts.

**A13: co-driver: 9 hours 36 minutes\
train driver + driver of locomative: 147 hours 24 minutes**\
The answer can be found in the statistics on sheet "Pattern" under
„Analysis -- Work Pattern". To view information on sub-categories of
work click on the drop down menu in the top right corner of the sheet
"Pattern", where you can choose the various sub-categories. The chart
will then show the selected category only and the statistics below refer
to the selected category only as well.

**A14: train driver + driver of locomative: 147 hours 24 minutes**\
To answer this question you will need information on two sub-categories.
To obtain this click on "(Customize...)" in the mentioned drop down
menu. A window will appear that allows you to select sub-categories,
"driving train" and "driving only locomative". Accept your selection by
pressing "OK" to view the chart and statistics for these two
sub-categories only.

**A15: 19 hours 27 minutes** (work -- between, paid) **+** **20 hours 08
minutes** (time off -- split shifts, unpaid)\
Necessary to look both on sheet "Pattern" (sub-category 'between') under
„Analysis -- Work Pattern" and on sheet "Pattern" (sub-category 'split
shifts') under „Analysis -- Time Off Pattern".

**A16: 116 hours 55 minutes (more than 4 days)\
**As this question concerns time off periods, please click in the node
"Time Off Pattern" in the Model Explorer. The longest block of
consecutive time off can be seen in the statistics displayed below the
charts on sheets 1 to 4 of and is also clearly visible in the chart
"Length sorted" and chart "length rostered" (on the 18^th^ day and on
32^nd^ day of the schedule).

**A17: Start times accumulate between 2:50 PM and 3:50 PM (7 duties)**
and **around 5:45 AM (4 duties)\
**This answer can be found on the sheet "Start Times" under "Analyses
Start And End Times". If you're using „Method 2" for generating clusters
(using the following settings: [1:00 hour maximum distance between
elements]{.underline}; [1:00 hour maximum distance between the first and
last element of the cluster]{.underline}) the number of clusters
generated is 5. The characteristics of each cluster are displayed in the
table.\
![](media/image37.png){width="5.842361111111111in"
height="1.0222222222222221in"}

**A18: End times accumulate between 12:54 AM and 1:08 AM (6 duties)**
and **between 3:42 AM and 4:12 AM (4 duties)\
**This answer can be found on the sheet "End Times" under "Analyses
Start And End Times". If you're using „Method 2" for generating clusters
(using the following settings: [1:00 hour maximum distance between
elements]{.underline}; [1:00 hour maximum distance between the first and
last element of the cluster]{.underline}) the number of clusters
generated is 6. The characteristics of each cluster are displayed in the
table.\
![](media/image38.png){width="5.6375in" height="1.148611111111111in"}

### Example 5: Import data from an Microsoft® Excel file into RAS

[Solution for step 2:]{.underline} As the import data show headers in
the first row, select the option "show row 1 as column headings (don't
import)" in the second step and click "Next".

[Solution for step 3:]{.underline} The third step helps you to determine
the correct format of each column of the import file. The values in the
date column show the format "Month--Day--Year" and are therefore
assigned to "MDY". The columns with sign on and sign off times are
assigned to the format "hh:mm AM/PM". Please find the correct
assignations in the picture below.

![](media/image39.png){width="3.34375in" height="2.0in"}

[Solution for step 4:]{.underline} In step four you have to assign the
categories of the RAS System to the columns of the import data. The RAS
categories correspond with the headers of the input table in RAS: The
first column represents the RAS category "From date", the second "Sign
up time", and the third "Sign off time".

**Please note that empty or incomplete rows in the import records are
not being imported.**

[Solution for step 5:]{.underline} The fifth step allows you to select
all activities that you want to assign to imported records. The above
example contains Work hours; therefore the data is assigned to the
activity "Work".

[Solution for step 6:]{.underline} In the last step you can store the
transformed data in a new file.

After saving the data close the Import Wizard and go back to the RAS
main application. Select "Open..." from the "File" menu and open the
file generated by the RAS Import Wizard.

### Example 6: Import data from a text file into RAS

[Solution for step 1:]{.underline} If you don't see the file under the
folder "**Example5**" you probably select the wrong "Files of type".\
Select: ![](media/image40.png){width="2.595138888888889in"
height="0.2708333333333333in"}

[Solution for step 2:]{.underline} The import data doesn't show column
headers and therefore the default setting "Import row 1 as data row (no
column headings)" can be accepted.

The individual columns of the import file are separated by separators
(in our case the separator is a tab character); the Import Wizard has
already chosen the right option. Should the Import Wizard not recognize
the separator in use you can choose it manually.

[Solution for step 3:]{.underline} The third step helps you to determine
the correct format of each column of the import file.\
The values in the **first column** have to be assigned to "**Text**".\
The values in the **second and fourth column** have to be assigned to
"**Date**" "**MDY**".\
The values in the **third and fifth column** have to be assigned to
"**Time**" "**hh:mm AM/PM**".

[Solution for step 4:]{.underline} In step four you have to assign the
categories of the RAS System to the columns of the import data. The RAS
categories correspond with the headers of the input table in RAS. Please
find the correct assignations in the picture below.

![](media/image41.png){width="5.814583333333333in"
height="1.6881944444444446in"}

[Solution for step 5:]{.underline} The fifth step allows you to assign
the RAS Activities to the corresponding symbols in the import file.
Please find the correct assignations in the picture below.

![](media/image42.png){width="4.777777777777778in"
height="1.3083333333333333in"}