Task Assignment Optimization Flow
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Description
This MicroSim visualizes the decision workflow for assigning tasks to employees in a graph-modeled organization. When a task arrives, it first passes through a priority check, then follows one of two optimization paths:
- High-priority path (left, indigo): Optimizes for speed and fit. Candidates are filtered by skill match (at least 60%), workload capacity, and network bridging potential before assigning to the best match.
- Backlog path (right, amber): Optimizes for employee development. The system scans for candidates with 1-2 learning gaps, uses a relaxed capacity threshold (70%), and aligns assignments with quarterly development goals.
Both paths converge at a final tracking step that updates workload counters and logs events for analytics.
How to use:
- Hover over any flowchart node to see a description of the logic at that stage
- Click any node to see the Cypher query snippet that implements that step in a graph database
- Check "Show Sample Data" to display example task and candidate data flowing through each stage
- Press Reset View to close the Cypher panel
Lesson Plan
Learning Objective: Students will design an automated task assignment workflow that balances skill match, workload capacity, and employee development goals.
Bloom's Level: Create (L6)
Activities:
- Walk through each stage of the flowchart. For each node, click to view the Cypher query and discuss how the graph data model supports that operation
- Enable "Show Sample Data" and trace a high-priority task through the left path. Why was Alice selected over Bob?
- Trace a backlog task through the right path. Why is Dana a better growth assignment than Eve?
- Design challenge: Modify the flowchart to handle a third path for "urgent but no skill match found" -- what fallback strategy would you design?
- Discuss: What are the ethical implications of using network centrality (bridging potential) as a factor in task assignment?
Assessment: Students design their own task assignment workflow for a different organizational scenario (e.g., incident response, project staffing) and write the corresponding Cypher queries for at least three stages.
Concepts Covered
- Task assignment as a graph optimization problem
- Skill matching using graph pattern matching
- Workload balancing with property constraints
- Betweenness centrality as a bridging metric
- Development-oriented assignment strategies
- Event tracking in organizational graphs
References
- Task Assignment Problem - Wikipedia - The mathematical foundations of optimal task assignment
- Betweenness Centrality - Wikipedia - The graph metric used for network fit scoring