Implement a Constraint Solver for a Lisbon Tourism Scheduler
Overview
What this challenge is about.
Model the next-week schedule as a CSP: variables are (guide, day, slot) assignments; domains are available routes; constraints encode language requirements, max consecutive tours per guide, mandatory rest gaps, and route capacity. Implement backtracking with the AC-3 arc-consistency pre-processor and the Minimum Remaining Values variable-ordering heuristic. Run on a real-sized scenario (30 guides, 12 routes, 14 daily slots) and produce a Gantt-style schedule plus a 1-page methodology note for the operations manager who will use it.
The Brief
What you'll do, and what you'll demonstrate.
Implement a backtracking CSP solver that produces a feasible weekly tour-guide roster for a real-sized scenario.
Earning criteria — what you'll demonstrate
- Model a real-world scheduling problem as a constraint satisfaction problem
- Implement backtracking search with arc-consistency
- Apply variable and value ordering heuristics to speed up search
- Communicate algorithmic limits (when the solver may fail) to operations users
Program Fit
Where this fits in your program.
Sharpens the same skills your degree expects you to demonstrate.
Skills
Skills you'll demonstrate.
Each one shows up on your verified credential.
Careers
Roles this prepares you for.
Real titles. Real skill bridges. Pick the one closest to your trajectory.
AI Engineer
Modeling a real operational problem as a CSP and shipping a working solver is the entry-level AI engineer's daily craft in operations-tech companies.
This challenge sharpens
- constraint-satisfaction
- algorithm-design
- python
Data Scientist
Translating fuzzy operational rules into precise constraints is a transferable analytical skill data scientists use in optimization-flavored work.
This challenge sharpens
- scheduling
- operations-research
- algorithm-design
Machine Learning Engineer
Clean Python plus algorithmic discipline transfer directly to the MLE's bread-and-butter of shipping reliable backend services.
This challenge sharpens
- python
- backtracking-search
- algorithm-design