As far as planning, or crew forecasting, is concerned, there is no "practical" application over there. They are sitting in a cubicle in the G.O. looking at a spreadsheet, with no idea as to what is actually happening out on line. If it looks good on paper to them, then it is working.

A captain I flew with recently questioned one of the flight contrllers in the SOC about aircraft swaps at outstations; he was told that "he didn't see the big picture". He promptly replied, "I'm flying the big picture and it ain't working".