Using Queuing Analysis to Define Appropriate Staffing Levels in a Municipality

Abstract

This report provides an analysis and evaluation of the current process in the construction departments of the sub-municipalities of Riyadh city in Saudi Arabia. The queue model was used with a G/G/s template to find the current expected wait in the queue. Several mathematical formulas were found and used for the queue analysis. Two different plans were developed to reduce waiting time in the queue (Plans A and B). Results of data analyzed show that there are different waiting times found in each sub-municipality (branch). Plans A and B were then applied to accelerate the waiting time in the queue. The plan with the lowest cost was chosen, if it met the target waiting time. Two additional ways were found to improve the work: (a) shifting engineers from overstaffed offices to branches in need of additional help, without applying either Plan A or Plan B in the branches to which they were shifted; or (b) shifting engineers from overstaffed offices to branches in need of additional help and applying Plans A or B in the branches to which they were shifted. It is recommended that engineers from overstaffed branches be shifted to branches in need of additional help without applying either Plan A or Plan B in branches to which they were shifted. This recommendation will reduce waiting time in the queue as much as possible with the least cost, which is only $16,000/month.