They also learn how to use computer modeling as a problem-solving tool and which models and techniques are appropriate for different kinds of problems. Queuing theory, for instance, involves dealing with a flow of people or goods in the most efficient manner, given limited resources. It's what Walt Disney World uses to keep the lines moving at Space Mountain and Mr. Toad's Wild Ride - and how TV newsrooms decide how many editors they'll need to stay on deadline. An operations researcher might also use stochastic modeling to forecast personnel requirements over a five-year period. Network analysis to schedule routes for airline fleets or police patrol cars.
Most solutions involve a combination of methods.
And it's the operations researcher's job to figure out how they all fit together. With the right tools, results are often dramatic. Success stories like these abound.