Resource Inputs and Performance Outputs in Social Security Offices

This paper describes a model of a Social Security office developed by the Operational Research Service of the DHSS. The model, based mainly on queueing theory, relates staffing levels, workloads, and productivity to performance measures based on customer delays. The paper describes the hypothesis underlying the model, the data requirements, technical details, and model calibration. Illustrative outputs of the model are presented and some uses of the model are briefly described.