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Case Studies
Labor Dispatch System Lowers Costs, Increases Efficiency
Project at a Glance |
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RDA created a new, faster, scalable labor dispatch system for Steamship Trade Association of Baltimore which reaches a wider audience of longshoremen with lower system support costs. |
About Our Client
Steamship Trade Association of Baltimore (STA) interfaces with the International Longshoreman's Association on behalf of their clients to handle labor dispatch as well as labor contracts, payroll and other services.
Background
STA engaged RDA to develop a new system (Magnus) to manage labor dispatch. The previous system was technologically outdated and difficult to maintain and enhance.
Solution Detail
In addition to replicating the functionality of the previous system, Magnus automates the process by which longshoremen can scan in and print their labor tickets, and interfaces with STA's new telephone and payroll systems.
The Magnus system is comprised of two essential segments: Order Entry and Same Day Labor Dispatching. Both share a common SQL Server 2005 database.
The Magnus application is comprised of three separate layers: User Interface, Business, and Data. The UI Layer is a Click-Once deployed WinForm application that runs locally. The Business Layer is a set of .NET libraries hosted in Internet Information Services and exposed through .NET remoting services. The Data Layer consumed by the Business Layer is hosted along with the Business layer and is not publicly accessible.
Order Entry is a WinForm Click-Once application deployed via STA's public website. The previous application required users to run the application via Terminal Services, which created issues for external users such as firewall problems, redirecting printer output to local printers, and concurrent user accessibility. Users now receive immediate updates and are able to run the application locally, giving the feel of a native desktop application.
The Same Day Labor Dispatching System (Magnus Dispatch) comprises numerous separate real-time applications:- Magnus Dispatching Service
- Worker Bidding Screen
- Job Winner Display
- Ticket Printing Kiosks
- Dispatcher Intervention and Observation Station
Magnus Dispatch automates the dispatch process and removes the requirements of dispatchers to be aware of all workers' information, such as suspensions, certifications and prior or future work assignments. It can run in an automated and unattended mode as well as a manual mode for multiple locals concurrently.
The Magnus Dispatching Service is a 24x7 real-time available .NET Windows Service that hosts multiple application domains in order to concurrently run automated and manual dispatches. It communicates with the other applications in the Dispatch system via a duplex TCP/IP communication layer and exposes a set of .NET remoted services for Queries and Job Bid/Acceptance notification. Jobs from the Magnus Order Entry screen are loaded and offered at specific times of day relative to the start times of the jobs. In automated mode, the service receives notifications from operation system scheduled tasks. In manual mode, the service receives notifications to dispatch and to move through each step of the process via the Dispatcher Intervention and Observation Screen. The dispatch service is multithreaded, using .NET threading libraries to support timing and job offering. Each step of the dispatch process is time sensitive unless directly controlled in manual mode.
The Worker Bidding Screen is a .NET WinForm application running locally on multiple machines throughout the hiring hall. It receives messages dictating actions it is to display via duplex TCP/IP communications from the service and retrieves/submits data via the remoting hosted components on the dispatch service. Each longshoreman local has one or more screens and all screens for a given local must be in sync at all times. The Worker Bidding Screen is connected to a bar code scanner that reads the worker's port identification number. The bidding screen is responsible for reading this code and then submitting a worker's bid for the job to the dispatching service. Once a bid is submitted, the display will show the result for the worker's bid and all other bids for the given job. The Worker Bidding Screen also uses text to voice to announce the job available for workers to bid.
The Job Winner Display application is a .NET WinForm application that displays winners for all jobs being offered in all locales. The winner's application receives notifications via the TCP/IP notification service from the Dispatching Service and then queries the service for all winners who have not yet printed tickets from the ticket printing application.
The Ticket Printing application is a stand-alone .NET service that utilizes the business and data layers used by the Dispatching Service. The ticket printing kiosks utilize bar code scanners and line printers to allow workers to receive a paper slip detailing the job they have bid for and won. Once a worker scans their identification card, the kiosk application updates the Magnus System with the worker and assignment.
Dispatch Intervention and Observation is a WinForm application that gives dispatchers control over the process and allows them to monitor the activity of all the bidding screens and the Dispatch Service. This application receives notifications from the Dispatching Service via the TCP/IP communication layer to display bidding information, winner information and jobs in the queue. Utilizing this application, dispatchers can change the run mode of the Windows service from automated to manual via the exposed .NET remoting services of the Dispatch Service. The Dispatcher Client also allows dispatchers to make adjustments to any decision made by the Dispatching Service in regards to Bidding and Winning, Job Display Order, Order Cancelation and Worker Information Retrieval. The application also allows Dispatchers to reset any part or all of the system in the case of failure.
Benefits
Click-Once deployment of the Order Entry Application allows the company to offer the application to a wider audience with lower support costs and improved user experiences. The .NET infrastructure is widely available, which helps to reduce development time and results in fewer defective applications.
Technically Speaking
The solution incorporated the following technologies:- Microsoft SQL Server 2005
- Microsoft Text to Voice
- Microsoft Windows Server 2003
- Microsoft Windows XP
- Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0
Client Testimonial
"As Senior Vice President of the Steamship Trade Association of Baltimore in charge of a new, state of the art dispatch system for ILA longshoremen working in the Port of Baltimore, a completely responsible and competent partner for our development needs was paramount to our success. The complexity of business rules and the atmosphere and environment where the application resides would not be attractive to the run of the mill development solution firm. RDA's team embraced the numerous challenges presented to them and thrived in a difficult environment.
The overall dedication to the project was unsurpassed and the flexibility of the team's schedule was adaptive to the project's needs. RDA's technical skills, communication skills, ability to work with other IT vendors, and professionalism were displayed from start to finish.
The Magnus dispatch system created by RDA has provided the Steamship Trade Association with a delivered dispatch solution with features and abilities that have put us in the forefront of labor dispatch."
~ Joseph M. Greco, Senior Vice President, Steamship Trade Association of Baltimore
