Abstract
This paper describes the development and evaluation process of a user interface for a scheduling system. It is intended to provide the user with a graphical and interactive way in order to define a scheduling problem as well as an interactive way to visualize and adapt a scheduling plan. The realization of these goals was achieved through a modular prototype whose development was based on a methodology focused on the usability evaluation: the star life cycle. In order to evaluate the usability prototype an evaluation session was made, allowing not only the ease of use evaluation, but also observing the different interaction forms provided by each participant.

Abstract
Developments in advanced autonomous production resources have increased the interest in the Single-Machine Scheduling Problem (SMSP). Until now, researchers used SMSP with little to no practical application in industry, but with the introduction of multi-purpose machines, able of executing an entire task, such as 3D Printers, replacing extensive production chains, single-machine problems are becoming a central point of interest in real-world scheduling. In this paper we study how simple, easy to implement, Just-in-Time (JIT) based, constructive heuristics, can be used to optimize customer and enterprise oriented performance measures. Customer oriented performance measures are mainly related to the accomplishment of due dates while enterprise-oriented ones typically consider other time-oriented measures.

Abstract
This paper describes the development and evaluation process of a user interface for a scheduling system. It is intended to provide the user with a graphical and interactive way in order to define a scheduling problem as well as an interactive way to visualize and adapt a scheduling plan. The realization of these goals was achieved through a modular prototype whose development was based on a methodology focused on the usability evaluation: the star life cycle. In order to evaluate the usability prototype an evaluation session was made, allowing not only the ease of use evaluation, butalso observing the different interaction forms provided by each participant.

Abstract
Optimization in current decision support systems has a highly interdisciplinary nature related with the need to integrate different techniques and paradigms for solving real-world complex problems. Computing optimal solutions in many of these problems are unmanageable. Heuristic search methods are known to obtain good results in an acceptable time interval. However, parameters need to be adjusted to allow good results. In this sense, learning strategies can enhance the performance of a system, providing it with the ability to learn, for instance, the most suitable optimization technique for solving a particular class of problems, or the most suitable parameterization of a given algorithm on a given scenario. Hyper-heuristics arise in this context as efficient methodologies for selecting or generating (meta) heuristics to solve NP-hard optimization problems. This paper presents the specification of a hyper-heuristic for selecting techniques inspired in nature, for solving the problem of scheduling in manufacturing systems, based on previous experience. The proposed hyper-heuristic module uses a reinforcement learning algorithm, which enables the system with the ability to autonomously select the meta-heuristic to use in optimization process as well as the respective parameters. A computational study was carried out to evaluate the influence of the hyper-heuristics on the performance of a scheduling system. The obtained results allow to conclude about the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

Abstract
Metaheuristics are very useful to achieve good solutions in reasonable execution times. Sometimes they even obtain optimal solutions. However, to achieve near-optimal solutions, the appropriate tuning of parameters is required. This paper presents a Racing based learning module proposal for an autonomous parameter tuning of Metaheuristics. After a literature review on Metaheuristics parameter tuning and Racing approaches, the learning module is presented. A computational study for the resolution of the Scheduling problem is also presented. Comparing the preliminary obtained results with previous published results allow to conclude about the effectiveness and efficiency of this proposal. © 2015 AISTI.

Abstract
Manufacturing environments require a real-time adaptation and optimization method to dynamically and intelligently maintain the current scheduling plan feasible. This way, the organization keeps clients satisfied and achieves its objectives (costs are minimized and profits maximized). This paper proposes an optimization approach - Selection Constructive based Hyper-heuristic for Dynamic Scheduling - to deal with these dynamic events, with the main goal of maintaining the current scheduling plan feasible and robust as possible. The development of this dynamic adaptation approach is inspired on evolutionary computation and hyper-heuristics. Our empirical results show that a selection constructive hyper-heuristic could be advantageous on solving dynamic adaptation optimization problems. © 2015 AISTI.