So what now, Dr. Jos? How are we going to solve the queues? Understanding queue management in services through multi-agent simulation (Teaching Notes)

Resumo

This teaching case is designed for instructing and applying fundamental queuing theory concepts in operations management. The narrative is built from the perspective of Josué, a 23-year-old recently graduated from an elite Business Administration school, who lives on the outskirts of São Paulo. Every day, he encounters enormous queues at the community service center next to his house. Moved by the situation, Josué feels a desire to give back to society the scholarship he received for his studies. The center provides social services, such as the Cadastro Único (Single Registry), which is essential for government programs, but a lack of efficient management results in long waiting times. A chance encounter with Pedro, his childhood friend and an Uber driver, sparks in Josué the desire to volunteer. He meets Cecília, the center's administrator, and proposes to analyze data on client arrival and service  imes. Inspired, Josué develops a queueing simulator, based on the models he uses at the investment bank where he works, seeking solutions to optimize service and reduce the population's waiting time.