This book serves as a comprehensive roadmap for navigating the realm of Operations Research (OR). From laying down fundamental mathematical principles to crafting precise modeling techniques and their solution methods, it culminates in a panoramic view of OR models mirroring real-world operations. Delving into diverse applications-from assignment problems to network problems like graph coloring and minimum spanning trees, and navigating through routing problems that are very common in logistics-the book equips readers with practical insights. Each model is accompanied by meticulously detailed examples, seamlessly integrated with hyperlinked codes accessible via an open repository. Moreover, it introduces an engaging dimension with hyperlinks to three serious games replicating some cornerstone OR models, offering a playful yet educational environment for solo or group experimentation.@en

SARS-CoV-2 transmission in indoor spaces, where most infection events occur, depends on the types and duration of human interactions, among others. Understanding how these human behaviours interface with virus characteristics to drive pathogen transmission and dictate the outcomes of non-pharmaceutical interventions is important for the informed and safe use of indoor spaces. To better understand these complex interactions, we developed the Pedestrian Dynamics—Virus Spread model (PeDViS): an individual-based model that combines pedestrian behaviour models with virus spread models that incorporate direct and indirect transmission routes. We explored the relationships between virus exposure and the duration, distance, respiratory behaviour, and environment in which interactions between infected and uninfected individuals took place and compared this to benchmark ‘at risk’ interactions (1.5 metres for 15 minutes). When considering aerosol transmission, individuals adhering to distancing measures may be at risk due to build-up of airborne virus in the environment when infected individuals spend prolonged time indoors. In our restaurant case, guests seated at tables near infected individuals were at limited risk of infection but could, particularly in poorly ventilated places, experience risks that surpass that of benchmark interactions. Combining interventions that target different transmission routes can aid in accumulating impact, for instance by combining ventilation with face masks. The impact of such combined interventions depends on the relative importance of transmission routes, which is hard to disentangle and highly context dependent.

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In the field of forensic mental healthcare, forensic vigilance is an im-portant skill of healthcare professionals to deal with criminal behaviour of pa-tients. The facilitated, collaborative card game ROTBEESTEN?! was developed to motivate professionals to enrol in forensic vigilance training. A controlled ex-periment was conducted with professionals from a Dutch forensic mental healthcare facility to explore the potential of the motivator game. The control condition involved ‘treatment as usual’: an oral presentation followed by a group discussion. Questionnaires, interviews and observations were used to measure certain participant characteristics, the quality of the game, and the user experience in both conditions. Respondents expressed significantly higher pref-erences for active, experiential learning styles than for learning from theoretical sources. In addition, respondents evaluated the quality of the game positively. Finally, respondents reported significantly higher scores on four out of five di-mensions of (game) experience in the experimental condition than in the control condition. Limitations of the study include a low response rate to the post-questionnaires. As a result, the effects of both the game and presentation could not be established reliably. From the results, we may conclude that the game ROTBEESTEN?! was evaluated more positively and has more potential to moti-vate participants for follow-up training activities than ‘treatment as usual’ (an oral presentation). These findings are in line with the preferred learning styles reported. Games seem promising tools to motivate (healthcare) professionals to enrol in training activities. Future research will establish if indeed the game’s motivating effects exceed those of an oral presentation.@en