Constraint Programming Approach to Time-Window and Multiresource-Constrained Projects Portfolio Prototyping

Constraint Programming (CP) is an emergent software technology for declarative description and effective solving of large combinatorial problems especially in the area of integrated production planning. In that context, CP can be considered as an appropriate framework for development of decision making software supporting small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the course of projects portfolio prototyping. The paper deals with problem considered multiresource problem in which more than one resource type may be required by every activity in the project and the availability of each type is time-windows limited. The problem belongs to a class of NP-complete ones. The aim of the paper is to present a CP based projects portfolio prototyping framework providing a prompt service to a set of routine queries stated both in straight and reverse way, e.g., concerning the projects portfolio makespan implied by a given resources allocation, and the feasible resources allocation guaranteeing an assumed projects portfolio makespan. The way the responses to the routine queries can be guaranteed while may be available in an on-line mode is illustrated in the example enclosed.