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**A**IMMS (Algebraic Modeling and Information Management System) is a high-level, general-purpose, mathematical modeling language and optimization software package developed by Dassault Systèmes, formerly known as ILOG. * First released in 1988, AIMMS is used by businesses and organizations worldwide to solve a wide range of problems, including supply chain optimization, production planning, and financial planning. * AIMMS is written in C++ and runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS. * The AIMMS user community is active and supportive, with a variety of resources available online, including documentation, tutorials, and forums. * AIMMS is a powerful tool that can help businesses and organizations solve complex problems more efficiently.

Ask the right questions secure the right AIMMS talent among an increasingly shrinking pool of talent.

First 20 minutes

General AIMMS app knowledge and experience

The first 20 minutes of the interview should seek to understand the candidate's general background in AIMMS application development, including their experience with various programming languages, databases, and their approach to designing scalable and maintainable systems.

How would you define AIMMS?

AIMMS stands for Advanced Interactive Multidimensional Modeling System. It is a prescriptive analytics software that allows users to create and solve optimization models for decision making.

What are the key components of AIMMS?

The key components of AIMMS are the AIMMS Language, the AIMMS Library, the AIMMS GUI (Graphical User Interface), and the AIMMS Links.

How would you describe the AIMMS modeling language?

The AIMMS modeling language is a high-level, algebraic modeling language that allows developers to describe and formulate their optimization models in a clear and concise way.

What is the function of the AIMMS Library?

The AIMMS Library contains a wide range of predefined mathematical functions and procedures that can be used to define optimization models.

Describe the difference between AIMMS Pro and AIMMS Developer.

AIMMS Pro is a collaborative, web-based platform for deploying optimization apps, while AIMMS Developer is a software environment for developing optimization models.

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What you’re looking for early on

Does the candidate have a strong understanding of AIMMS concepts and language?

Has the candidate demonstrated problem-solving skills?

Is the candidate able to communicate effectively?

Does the candidate have experience with other relevant technologies or programming languages?

Next 20 minutes

Specific AIMMS development questions

The next 20 minutes of the interview should focus on the candidate's expertise with specific backend frameworks, their understanding of RESTful APIs, and their experience in handling data storage and retrieval efficiently.

What are some of the advantages of using AIMMS for optimization modeling?

Some of the advantages of using AIMMS include its powerful modeling language, its comprehensive library of mathematical functions and procedures, and its ability to generate and solve large-scale optimization problems.

How would you handle large data sets in AIMMS?

AIMMS provides several tools for handling large data sets, including data import/export capabilities, data management features, and the ability to connect to external databases.

How would you use AIMMS to solve a linear programming problem?

In AIMMS, a linear programming problem can be solved by defining the objective function and the constraints in the AIMMS modeling language, and then using the AIMMS Solver to find the optimal solution.

What are the steps to connect AIMMS with an external database?

To connect AIMMS with an external database, you need to define a database connection, specify the database tables and fields, and then use the AIMMS Data Management features to read and write data.

How would you use AIMMS to perform sensitivity analysis?

In AIMMS, sensitivity analysis can be performed by changing the values of the parameters in the model and observing the effect on the optimal solution.

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At this point, a skilled AIMMS engineer should demonstrate strong problem-solving abilities, proficiency in AIMMS programming language, and knowledge of software development methodologies. Red flags include lack of hands-on experience, inability to articulate complex concepts, or unfamiliarity with standard coding practices.

Digging deeper

Code questions

These will help you see the candidate's real-world development capabilities with AIMMS.

What does the following AIMMS code do?
Set s1 := data { 'a', 'b', 'c' };
This code declares a set 's1' and initializes it with the elements 'a', 'b', and 'c'.
What will be the output of the following AIMMS code?
Parameter p1 := data { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 }; 
Sum(p1, i, p1(i));
This code declares a parameter 'p1' and initializes it with the elements 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Then it calculates the sum of all elements in 'p1'. The output will be 15.
What does the following AIMMS code do?
Set s1 := data { 'a', 'b', 'c' }; 
Set s2 := data { 'b', 'c', 'd' }; 
Set s3 := s1 diff s2;
This code declares two sets 's1' and 's2' and initializes them with some elements. Then it calculates the difference between 's1' and 's2' and assigns the result to 's3'. The set 's3' will contain the elements that are in 's1' but not in 's2'. In this case, 's3' will be { 'a' }.
What will be the output of the following AIMMS code?
Thread t1 := CreateThread(); 
Thread t2 := CreateThread(); 
StartThread(t1); 
StartThread(t2); 
WaitForAllThreads();
This code creates two threads 't1' and 't2', starts them, and then waits for both threads to finish. The output will depend on the tasks assigned to the threads 't1' and 't2'. If no tasks are assigned, there will be no output.

Wrap-up questions

Final candidate for AIMMS Developer role questions

The final few questions should evaluate the candidate's teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills. Additionally, assess their knowledge of microservices architecture, serverless computing, and how they handle AIMMS application deployments. Inquire about their experience in handling system failures and their approach to debugging and troubleshooting.

What are the steps to deploy an optimization app using AIMMS Pro?

To deploy an optimization app using AIMMS Pro, you need to create a project in AIMMS Developer, develop your optimization model, and then publish the project to the AIMMS Pro platform.

How would you handle a situation where the AIMMS Solver fails to find an optimal solution?

If the AIMMS Solver fails to find an optimal solution, you can try using a different solver, adjusting the solver parameters, or reformulating the optimization model.

Describe the difference between deterministic and stochastic optimization in AIMMS.

Deterministic optimization assumes that all parameters in the model are known with certainty, while stochastic optimization takes into account the uncertainty in the parameter values.

AIMMS application related

Product Perfect's AIMMS development capabilities

Beyond hiring for your AIMMS engineering team, you may be in the market for additional help. Product Perfect provides seasoned expertise in AIMMS projects, and can engage in multiple capacities.

AIMMS Consultive assessments

AIMMS Application Conversion Assessment AIMMS Application Integration Assessment AIMMS Data & Database Integration Assessment

Custom AIMMS development projects

Custom AIMMS App Conversion AIMMS Custom App Development Process App UI Design for AIMMS Facelifts

Hiring guide for AIMMS Engineers

AIMMS Developer Hiring Guide

What you’re looking for early on

The ideal back-end app developer

What you’re looking to see on the AIMMS engineer at this point.

AIMMS Consultive assessments

Custom AIMMS development projects