Optimised Field Worker Routing
An optimisation system balancing travel, workload, and location priority for recurring field operations.
Technology
Google CloudR
Selected project note
The business context
A field operations workflow required assigning geographically distributed workers to visit retail locations on a recurring basis. Assignments needed to balance travel efficiency with workload fairness, while also prioritising higher-value locations. Manual planning was time-consuming and often resulted in suboptimal allocation of effort across regions.
What was delivered
Developed an optimisation-based assignment approach that allocates workers to locations based on proximity, workload constraints, and location priority. The system accounts for geographic clustering, dynamically adjusting the number of assigned locations per worker based on density and travel requirements, while enforcing limits on daily workload. Location tiering was incorporated to prioritise higher-value sites, ensuring critical locations were consistently serviced.
The practical impact
Reduced overall travel inefficiency while improving workload balance across workers. Ensured consistent coverage of high-priority locations and enabled scalable, repeatable planning without manual intervention. This improved operational efficiency and made weekly planning more predictable and easier to manage.