Systems and methods for automatic scheduling of a workforce

Systems and methods are disclosed for scheduling overtime and time-off for a workforce. In one embodiment, the method comprises: receiving a workforce schedule including assignments of workers to shifts; receiving a template describing alterations to shifts; and applying schedulable objects to the workforce schedule in accordance with a workload forecast and schedule constraints. In one embodiment, the system comprises: a user interface and a scheduler. The user interface allows creation of shift alteration templates and associating templates with workers. The scheduler uses the shift alteration templates to modify an existing schedule of assignments of workers to shifts.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to contact centers, and more specifically, to automatic scheduling of a workforce.

BACKGROUND

A manager in a contact center (also known as a call center) typically uses workforce scheduling software to create a schedule which assigns workers (agents) to shifts throughout the workday. The scheduler chooses an optimal schedule that meets constraints while optimizing goals. Inputs such as predicted workload (e.g., call volume in 15-minute intervals, average call duration) and work rules (e.g., maximum shift length, possible shift start time, break requirements) are treated as constraints. Inputs such as expected level of service (e.g., call hold time) are treated as goals. The scheduler generates many possible schedules, and examines the possibilities to find a schedule that optimizes goals while remaining within the constraint boundaries.

In general, existing workforce schedulers accurately schedule an appropriate number of agents to handle the expected workload during each time interval. It is common, however, for workload and/or agent availability to vary from predicted values once a workday has begun. To keep the contact center running at peak performance, the schedule should then be adjusted, by giving some agents overtime or giving some agents time off. Existing schedulers do not support automatically scheduling of overtime or time-off after a schedule has been created and the day has started. Therefore, a contact center manager typically responds by manually creating overtime or time-off events, through which a particular shift for a particular agent is extended or truncated. The process by which a manager manually determines which agents should be assigned overtime or time-off, and where the overtime or time-off should be placed on a schedule, can be time-consuming, tedious, and difficult.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Systems and methods are disclosed for scheduling a workforce. In one embodiment, the method comprises: receiving a workforce schedule including assignments of workers to shifts; receiving a template describing alterations to shifts; and applying schedulable objects to the workforce schedule in accordance with a workload forecast and schedule constraints. In one embodiment, the system comprises: a user interface and a scheduler. The user interface allows creation of shift alteration templates and associating templates with workers. The scheduler uses the shift alteration templates to modify an existing schedule of assignments of workers to shifts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1is a block diagram of a contact center environment100. contact center100is staffed by agents who handle incoming and/or outgoing contacts. Although the traditional and most common form of contact is by phone, other types of contacts can be used, such as text chat, web collaboration, email, and fax. An agent workspace includes an agent phone110and a workstation computer120. A network130connects one or more of the workstations120.

A contact router140distributes or routes contacts (incoming or outgoing) to an agent position. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls and computer-based contacts (e.g., chat, email) are routed over one or more data networks, and distributed over network130to one of the agent workstations120. Contact router140may include an automatic call distributor (ACD)150to route phone contacts. The embodiments described herein will refer to ACD150instead of contact router140, but analogous contact router actions and operations are intended to be captured by this disclosure. Note that a predictive dialer (not shown) could be used for directing outbound calls to agents for handling.

If an agent is not available to handle a particular call, ACD150puts the call into a queue, which effectively places the caller on hold. When an agent is available, ACD150connects the outside trunk line160carrying the phone call to one of the agents. More specifically, ACD150connects the outside trunk line160to the trunk line170of the selected agent.

When an agent is ready to handle contacts, the agent first logs into ACD150. This login notifies ACD150that the agent is available to take calls. An agent's ACD state changes throughout the workday, as the agent performs work activities such as handling calls, performing after-call work, and taking breaks. An example list of states includes available, busy, after-call work, and unavailable.

While handling a contact, the agent interacts with one or more applications running on workstation120. By way of example, workstation applications could provide the agent with access to customer records, product information, ordering status, and transaction history. The applications may access one or more business databases (not shown) via the network130.

Call center100also includes a work force management system (WFMS)180. WFMS180performs many functions. One such function is providing a contact center supervisor or manager with information about agents and contacts, both historical and real-time. Another function is supplying the supervisor with information on how well each agent complies with contact center policies. Yet another function is calculating staffing levels and creating agent schedules based on historical patterns of incoming contacts. The functionality of the entire work force management system (WFMS)180is typically divided among several applications, some of which have a user interface component, and WFMS180comprises the suite of applications.

In the environment described above, the workers assigned to shifts are contact center agents. However, the scheduling methods and systems described herein are also applicable to scheduling other kinds of workers in other types of work environments. Therefore, the remaining embodiments will refer to workers rather than agents.

FIG. 2is a dataflow diagram showing one embodiment of a system (200) for automatic scheduling of a workforce. A user interacts with a template user interface component210of WFMS180to define one or more schedule alteration templates220. These schedule alteration templates220define ways in which a schedule can be altered. A user also interacts with a work-rule user interface component230to define work rules such as maximum shift length, shift start times, and break requirements. Although shown as two separate components inFIG. 2, in another embodiment the template user interface210and work-rule interface230are combined into a single user interface.

Two different types of templates can be created in the embodiment inFIG. 2. Voluntary time-off (VTO) templates220V describe an alteration that truncates an already-scheduled shift and adds a new time-off activity located adjacent to that shift. Overtime (OT) templates2200describe an alteration that extends an already-scheduled shift to include a new work activity, where the extension may allow a gap between the original shift and the overtime.

Schedule alteration templates220are provided as input to a scheduler component240, along with an existing schedule250. Scheduler260produces an updated schedule270that attempts to optimize goals280while meeting a workload forecast290and a set of work-rule constraints2100.

FIG. 3Ais a block diagram showing one representation of an overtime (OT) template2200. An OT template2200is one type of schedule alteration template220, through which a user defines ways in which a workday shift can be altered. OT template2200includes the following attributes: an activity310; a duration320; an action330; a placement340; and a gap350. Activity310represents the expected work activity to be performed during the overtime. Typical examples include phone, email, and fax, but this field can be any work activity. Duration320represents the duration of the overtime shift. In one embodiment, duration320is a range, indicating a minimum and a maximum value for the duration. For overtime, action330is set to Extend, since overtime extends an existing shift. Placement340refers to where the overtime is placed on the schedule relative to the existing shift: BeginnningOfShift, EndOfShift, or Either. Finally, gap350allows time between the existing shift and the overtime. A special value, such as zero, indicates that the overtime occurs next to the existing shift, with no gap. In one embodiment, gap350is a range, indicating a minimum and a maximum value for the gap.

FIG. 3Bis a block diagram showing one representation of a voluntary time-off (VTO) template220V. VTO template220V is another type of schedule alteration template220, through which a user defines ways in which a workday shift can be altered. VTO template220V includes an activity360; a duration370; an action380; and a placement390. Activity360is set to VoluntaryTimeOff since the worker is not performing a work activity. Duration370represents the duration of the time off. In one embodiment, duration370is a range, indicating a minimum and a maximum value for the duration. Action380is set to Truncate, since time-off truncates an existing shift. Placement390refers to where the time-off activity is placed relative to the existing shift: BeginnningOfShift, EndOfShift, or Either.

FIG. 4is a flowchart for one embodiment of a method (400) for automatic scheduling of a workforce. At block410, one or more schedule alteration templates (220) are received. Next (block420), an association between workers and templates220is received. At block430, worker-specific VTO/OT scheduling options are received. In one embodiment, these worker-specific scheduling options include: maximum OT/VTO per day and/or per week; OT Before/After Shift preferences (e.g., Prefer, Don't Want, Any); and VTO Start Of/End Of Shift preferences (e.g. Prefer, Don't Want, Any). Block430is optional, but if present is repeated for each worker that is associated with a schedule alteration template220.

Processing then continues at block440, where a selection of an existing schedule250is received. Next (block450), options specific to the selected schedule are received. In one embodiment, these schedule-specific options include: maximum OT/VTO per day and/or per week; Add OT Placement (Before/After shift); and Add VTO Placement (Start Of/End Of shift). Block450is optional. At block460, an updated schedule270is produced based on the received templates220and options (if present). Updated schedule270is produced in accordance with constraints2100and goals280. As will be described in further detail in connection withFIGS. 5,6, and7A-D, updated schedule270is calculated by generating schedulable objects (FIG. 5) and then applying the objects to existing schedule250.

FIG. 5shows a set of entities, and the interrelationships between them, used by one embodiment of a scheduler260that supports automatic scheduling of a workforce. Schedule alteration templates220were discussed earlier in connection withFIG. 3. As stated earlier, each schedule alteration template220is associated with one or more workers510. Each worker510is also associated with a shift520, where a shift520is described by a time range and a day (530). As can be seen inFIG. 5, worker510can have more than one shift520, and a time range-day530can be associated with more than one shift520(e.g., different workers). However, a particular shift520is specific to worker and to a time range-day (e.g. a shift representing “John Doe on Monday 9 AM-5 PM.”).

A schedule alteration template220describes possible alterations to any already-scheduled shift520, but is not associated with any particular shift520. Scheduler260creates one or more schedulable objects540based on each schedule alteration template220, such that attributes in a schedulable object540are initialized from corresponding attributes in the template220. Each schedulable object540is associated with a shift520, and represents a possible change in the schedule adjacent to that shift520.

Scheduler260also creates a set, or domain, of bindings550for each shift520. A binding represents a time slot in, or adjacent to, an employee shift. As can be seen inFIG. 5, a schedulable object540can possibly be bound to more than one binding550. Scheduler260chooses one optimal binding550for each schedulable object540. By selecting a binding for a schedulable object, scheduler260, in effect, assigns the work activity for that one object (derived from a template) to the time slot specified in the binding. The process of creating schedulable objects540, creating bindings550, and choosing optimal bindings550will now be discussed in connection withFIGS. 6 and 7.

FIG. 6is a flowchart for one embodiment of scheduler260that supports automatic scheduling of a workforce. At block610, schedulable objects are created from schedule alteration templates220. The creation of schedulable objects from schedule alteration templates220and an existing schedule250can be seen in the example scenario illustrated inFIG. 7. In this example scenario, existing schedule250is composed of multiple worker shifts520: John's Monday shift from 9 AM to 5 PM (shift520A); John's Tuesday shift from 10 AM to 6 PM (shift520B); and Fred's Tuesday shift from 11 AM to 7 PM (shift520C). John is associated with three schedule alteration templates220: overtime before (template2200B); voluntary time-off before (template220VB); and voluntary time-off after (template220VA). Fred is associated with the two “after” templates, template2200A and template220VA.

For templates220with a placement value of either “BeginningOfShift” or “EndOfShift”, scheduler260creates a set of schedulable objects540associated with those templates. (As the name suggests, these values specify where the object is scheduled in relation to the shift; see the discussion ofFIG. 3for more discussion of these placement values.) Specifically, one object540is created for each worker shift associated with the template220. In the example scenario ofFIG. 7, template2200B is associated with two shifts (John M9-5 and John T10-6), so two objects (540A and540B) are created from template2200B. In this example, the template-shift association is indirect, through a template-worker relationship and a worker-shift relationship; however, another embodiment using a direct association between template and shift is contemplated. One of ordinary skill in the art should understand by viewingFIG. 7how the remaining objects540C-G are created from the other two templates in a similar manner.

If the template220has a placement value of “Either”, then the above process is repeated to create two such sets of objects. One of the sets gets a placement value of “BeginningOfShift” and the other corresponding set gets a placement value of “EndOfShift”. In the simple example scenario ofFIG. 7, none of the three templates (220OB,220VB,220VA) has a placement value of “Either”.

Returning to the flowchart inFIG. 6, after schedulable objects are created in block610, processing continues at block620, where a set, or domain, of potential bindings is created for schedulable objects540, based on attributes such as start time, end time, gap, and duration. Values for these schedulable object attributes are derived from corresponding attributes in template220. Creation of bindings550will now be discussed in connection withFIG. 7.

A schedulable object540is associated with a worker shift520, which has a start time and an end time. Bindings550also have a start time and an end time. Bindings550are created for a particular shift520, starting with the time slot adjacent to the shift start or end (depending on whether the Action attribute in object540is “Beginning” or “End”). The number of bindings550depends on the Duration attribute in the object540: enough bindings are created to span the time specified by the Duration attribute. However, these bindings550are also constrained by work-rules, which may limit the start or end time of a shift (e.g., a particular shift cannot starts before 6 AM or end after 9 PM).

In the example ofFIG. 7, the object540A (“John M9-5 OT Before”) has a Duration of 2 hours, and is associated with shift520M. Therefore, three bindings710are created:710A is a one-hour slot from 8-9 AM;710B is a one-hour slot from 7-8 AM; and710C is a single two-hour slot from 7-9 AM. In addition, a “no time” binding is created (710D), representing the possibility that no object will be scheduled in this slot. The time slot granularity chosen inFIG. 7is merely an example, and the time slot granularity of the bindings can be a larger or a smaller value.

In this example, the domain of bindings for a schedulable object includes at least one binding with a time slot adjacent to the shift, because the Gap field in each object is zero. (The Gap field in a schedulable object is set from the template.) In contrast, the bindings created for objects that have a non-zero Gap field do not include a time slot adjacent to the shift. Instead, the closest time slot is separated from the shift by the value specified by Gap. In this example, the Gaps are fixed values, but in other embodiments Gap is a range, which results in the creation of additional bindings.

Returning to the flowchart inFIG. 6, after schedulable objects are created in block610, processing continues at block630, where OT objects are ordered according to worker-specific scheduling preferences. As described earlier in connection withFIG. 5, scheduler260receives OT and VTO preferences (e.g., Prefer, Don't Want, Any) set by workers. Thus, schedulable objects540associated with workers that prefer OT are first, and schedulable objects540associated with workers that do not want OT are last, with schedulable objects540associated with workers with no preference in the middle.

Next, at block640, the optimal binding for each OT object is selected. The techniques that schedulers use to produce an optimal schedule for a given set of inputs (workload, constraints, and goals) should be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art. Such techniques include, but are not limited to, local search, simulated annealing, and heuristics. The use of schedulable objects and bindings should also be understood by such a person.

Since the previous step630was ordered by worker, the effect is to choose bindings for all the OT objects of the same type (Begin or End) for one worker before moving to the next worker. When bindings for all objects have been chosen, the ordering and selection blocks630and640are repeated for VTO objects. This process can be extended to support schedulable objects of other types as well.

FIG. 7Dshows an updated schedule270resulting from the selected bindings shown inFIG. 7C. Shift520A (“John M 9-5”) has been modified to include a new work activity from 7 AM to 9 AM. This is a result of the binding representing 7-9 AM (binding710C) being selected for object540A (“John M9-5 OT Before”). The bindings selected for the other objects for shift520A (540L and540M) were all “none”, meaning schedulable objects540N and540O did not affect shift520A. All bindings selected for shift520B (“John T 10-6”) object were “none”, meaning shift520B remains unchanged. Shift520C (“Fred T11-7”) has been modified to include a new time-off activity from 5 PM to 7 PM. This is a result of binding representing 5-7 PM (binding770C) being selected for object540G (“Fred T11-7 VTO After”).

FIG. 8is a hardware block diagram of a general-purpose computer800which can be used to implement various embodiments of systems and methods for automatic scheduling of a workforce. Computer800contains a number of components that are well known in the art of contact center software, including a processor810, a network interface820, memory830, and non-volatile storage840. Examples of non-volatile storage include, for example, a hard disk, flash RAM, flash ROM, and EEPROM. These components are coupled via a bus850. Memory830contains instructions which, when executed by the processor810, implement systems and methods for automatic scheduling of a workforce, such as the processes depicted in the diagrams ofFIGS. 4,5,6, and7A-D. Omitted fromFIG. 8are a number of conventional components that are unnecessary to explain the operation of computer800.

The systems and methods for automatic scheduling of a workforce can be implemented in software, hardware, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the system and/or method is implemented in software that is stored in a memory and that is executed by a suitable microprocessor (μP) situated in a computing device. However, the systems and methods can be embodied in any computer-readable medium for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. Such instruction execution systems include any computer-based system, processor-containing system, or other system that can fetch and execute the instructions from the instruction execution system. In the context of this disclosure, a “computer-readable medium” can be any means that can contain or store the program for use by, or in connection with, the instruction execution system. The computer readable medium can be, for example but not limited to, a system that is based on electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, or semiconductor technology.

Specific examples of a computer-readable medium using electronic technology would include (but are not limited to) the following: an electrical connection (electronic) having one or more wires; a random access memory (RAM); a read-only memory (ROM); an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory). A specific example using magnetic technology includes (but is not limited to) a portable computer diskette. Specific examples using optical technology includes (but are not limited to): a portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM). In addition, the functionality could be implemented in logic embodied in hardware or software-configured media.

Any process descriptions or blocks in flowcharts should be understood as representing modules, segments, or portions of code which include one or more executable instructions for implementing specific logical functions or steps in the process. As would be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art of the software development, alternate embodiments are also included within the scope of the disclosure. In these alternate embodiments, functions may be executed out of order from that shown or discussed, including substantially concurrently or in reverse order, depending on the functionality involved.

This description has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments discussed, however, were chosen to illustrate the principles of the disclosure, and its practical application. The disclosure is thus intended to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to use the disclosure, in various embodiments and with various modifications, as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variation are within the scope of this disclosure, as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly and legally entitled.