Task Assignment Timeout Extension for Pairing Quality
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing task assignment systems face challenges in efficiently pairing tasks with agents, particularly when the number of pairing choices is limited, leading to suboptimal performance of high-performing pairing strategies like Behavioral Pairing (BP).
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves a method for pairing in a task assignment system with an external pairing system, where the task assignment system transmits information about available tasks and agents to the external pairing system via an API. The external pairing system can then extend an initial timeout window to allow for more tasks and agents to become available, thereby increasing the number of pairing choices before selecting and transmitting a pairing response.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the task assignment system uses a high-performing pairing strategy like Behavioral Pairing, then the quality of task-agent pairings is improved, but the system performance degrades when the number of pairing choices is limited (in L1 or L2 states)
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by extending the timeout window before making pairing decisions. This allows the system to wait longer for additional tasks or agents to become available, thereby increasing the number of pairing choices before committing to a pairing decision. This preliminary extension of time resolves the contradiction by ensuring sufficient options are available before applying the high-performing pairing strategy.
Solution Approach 2:
The timeout window is made dynamic rather than fixed. The system can extend the timeout window based on the current state (L1, L2, or L3), allowing flexibility in how long to wait for additional pairing choices. This dynamic adjustment enables the system to adapt the waiting period to current conditions, resolving the contradiction between pairing quality and system performance.
2Manufacturing precision
If the system waits for more tasks and agents to become available to increase pairing choices, then the pairing quality improves, but the response time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by extending the timeout window before making pairing decisions. This allows the system to wait longer for additional tasks or agents to become available, thereby increasing the number of pairing choices before committing to a pairing decision. This preliminary extension of time resolves the contradiction by ensuring sufficient options are available before applying the high-performing pairing strategy.
Solution Approach 2:
The timeout window parameter is changed from a fixed value to a dynamic, extendable value. The system can adjust the timeout duration based on current system state and needs, allowing it to wait longer when beneficial for pairing quality while maintaining responsiveness when needed. This parameter change resolves the contradiction between pairing quality and response time.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for pairing in a task assignment system with an external pairing system are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for pairing in a task assignment system with an external pairing system comprising transmitting first information that identifies one or more tasks waiting for assignment and one or more agents available for assignment; transmitting a pairing request; determining an initial timeout window to wait for the external pairing system to respond to the pairing request; receiving at a first time within the initial timeout window, an extension request that includes an instruction to extend the initial timeout window; extending the initial timeout window in response to the receiving the extension request; and receiving at a second time within the extended timeout window, a pairing response that includes a selected pairing between the one or more tasks and the one or more agents.