Priority-based heuristics for the multi-skill resource constrained project scheduling problem

In this paper we investigate one of the most recent extensions of the Resource Constrained Project Scheduling Problem (RCPSP): the Multi-Skill Resource Constrained Project Scheduling Problem (MSRCPSP). For this complex problem we propose the use of a parallel scheduling scheme. Such scheme has been successfully applied to the RCPSP. Nevertheless, in order to apply it to the MSRCPSP two new concepts are developed: resource weight and activity grouping. We discuss such concepts and use them for the new heuristic framework proposed. A series of computational tests performed using a large number of instances and reported in this paper shows that the new heuristic is very effective in finding high quality solutions within very small CPU times. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.