A logarithmic barrier approach to solving the dashboard planning problem

The dashboard planning problem is concerned with finding the most efficient arrangement of a given number of dials within a fixed-area dashboard. The objective of the problem is to ensure that the mental workload that is induced by operating the dashboard is minimized. In this paper, we formulate the dashboard planning problem as a nonlinear program that is solved using an efficient logarithmic barrier approach. The solution procedure allows the dashboard designer to consider several competitive solutions rather than a single optimal or near-optimal solution. We demonstrate the application of our approach on a real-world planning problem.