Operational forecasting is a research area that focuses on developing predictive models and techniques to forecast future events or outcomes in various operational settings. This can include predicting customer demand for products, forecasting inventory levels, anticipating traffic flow, or projecting energy consumption. The goal of operational forecasting is to help businesses and organizations make informed decisions and optimize their operations based on accurate predictions of future events. This research area often involves the use of data analysis, statistical modeling, and machine learning algorithms to generate forecasts and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of operational processes.