Here are some reasons why timetabling is so difficult.
- While the timetable is being made, the requirements can change. For example, a school decides to increase the number of classes assigned to a teacher.
- There are some times conflicting requirements which makes timetabling an impossible task. For example, a Computer Science teacher only visits a college on Tuesday and Thursday but not all his periods can be accomodated in these two days. At times even identifying what the conflict is can be a daunting task.
- Among other factors, scheduling tends to become more and more complex as the size of the institution increases. For example, a school’s timetable should be easier to make than a university timetable.
- Resource sharing can also be a challenge. For example, only one class can use the library or a science laboratory at a time.
