Using Analytics to optimize Conference Scheduling at Global Business School

The case highlights the decision-making dilemma faced by students at Global Business School (GBS) in Mumbai, India when planning the Annual Leadership Conclave, one of the most significant events held at GBS. About 45 days before the scheduled date, the OC brainstormed the session schedule. Feedback from the attendees had revealed dissatisfaction with last year's schedule, with many complaining that they had been unable to attend their most preferred sessions. Determined to improve the participants' experience this year, the OC had circulated a survey among the GBS student community, seeking information from prospective attendees about their preferred sessions. The OC planned to factor in these preferences while making the scheduling decisions. An initial approach was to pair more popular sessions with less popular ones, where the popularity of a session was determined by its average rating across the survey respondents. However, it was unclear whether this intuitive approach would yield the optimal schedule, one that maximized the overall satisfaction levels of the participants. Moreover, the OC had to ensure that the venue did justice to the speaker and the audience. How could the OC apply an analytical approach to the conclave scheduling problem?

Learning Objectives