The subject of this course are Service Networks, specifically their Science, Engineering and Management. Service networks are models of telephone and Internet services, or banks and insurance, hospitals, airports, supermarkets, some transportation systems, and even more. (Course applications will emphasize telephone-based services.) Our main theoretical framework for the course is Queueing Theory. However, the subject matter is highly multi-disciplinary, hence alternative frameworks (Statistics, Psychology, Marketing) will be useful as well.
The theory is at the level of an undergraduate course in Stochastic Processes. Home assignments will be theoretical, empirical and practical. Empirical analysis will involve real data from a call center that serves one of the Israeli banks. Further data resources are from the Technion SEE Center (SEE = Service Enterprise Engineering). Practical analysis will be based on two tools: SEEStat and 4CallCenters. The first tool, developed at the SEE Center, provides an online graphic-based interface with transactional data (call centers, hospitals); the second tool supports workforce management (staffing).
