A method for optimized work item assignment, comprising: receiving a work queue from the customer engagement center , CEC, at a work allocation engine, WAE, wherein the work queue includes a set of work items; receiving an agent list from the CEC at the WAE, wherein the agent list includes at least one agent; performing a work queue analysis of the work queue using a WAE software module on the WAE; generating an imminent work item list based on the work queue analysis of the WAE software module; performing an agent analysis of the work queue using the WAE software module on the WAE; generating an available agent list based on the agent analysis of the WAE software module; passing the imminent work item list and the available agent list to a smart work allocator, SWA; performing an optimization analysis of the first imminent work item based on the available agent list using a SWA software module on the SWA; determining a best match agent for the first imminent work item based on the optimization analysis of the first imminent work item; performing an optimization analysis of the best match agent based on the remaining imminent work items using a SWA software module on the SWA; determining a best match work item for the best match agent based on the optimization analysis of the best match agent; comparing the first imminent work item and the best match work item to the best match agent; assigning one of the first imminent work item or the best match work item to the best match agent based on the comparison; updating the imminent work item list by removing the assigned work item; and updating the available agent list by removing the best match agent. receiving a work queue from the customer engagement center , CEC, at a work allocation engine, WAE, wherein the work queue includes a set of work items; receiving an agent list from the CEC at the WAE, wherein the agent list includes at least one agent; performing a work queue analysis of the work queue using a WAE software module on the WAE; generating an imminent work item list based on the work queue analysis of the WAE software module; performing an agent analysis of the work queue using the WAE software module on the WAE; generating an available agent list based on the agent analysis of the WAE software module; passing the imminent work item list and the available agent list to a smart work allocator, SWA; performing an optimization analysis of the first imminent work item based on the available agent list using a SWA software module on the SWA; determining a best match agent for the first imminent work item based on the optimization analysis of the first imminent work item; performing an optimization analysis of the best match agent based on the remaining imminent work items using a SWA software module on the SWA; determining a best match work item for the best match agent based on the optimization analysis of the best match agent; comparing the first imminent work item and the best match work item to the best match agent; assigning one of the first imminent work item or the best match work item to the best match agent based on the comparison; updating the imminent work item list by removing the assigned work item; and updating the available agent list by removing the best match agent. <EOS>