Comments on: Self-Organizing Systems In The London Bridge Pret A Manger http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/12/self-organizing-systems-in-the-london-bridge-pret-a-manger/ Lollards in the high church of low culture Sat, 22 Nov 2008 03:36:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Post of the Week » Blog Archive » Shortlist for weekending 14th December 2007 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/12/self-organizing-systems-in-the-london-bridge-pret-a-manger/#comment-351325 Post of the Week » Blog Archive » Shortlist for weekending 14th December 2007 Sat, 15 Dec 2007 15:45:07 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/12/self-organizing-systems-in-the-london-bridge-pret-a-manger/#comment-351325 [...] freaky trigger: Self-Organising Systems in the London Bridge Pret a Manger(Nominated by [...] [...] freaky trigger: Self-Organising Systems in the London Bridge Pret a Manger(Nominated by [...]

]]> By: koganbot http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/12/self-organizing-systems-in-the-london-bridge-pret-a-manger/#comment-350962 koganbot Fri, 14 Dec 2007 16:41:32 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/12/self-organizing-systems-in-the-london-bridge-pret-a-manger/#comment-350962 I browsed this book at the library and decided I will want to read it when I get the time. You will definitely like Duncan J. Watts' <i>Six Degrees</i>, the one I wrote about in <a href="http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/content/nc/news/single-story/article/the-rules-of-the-game-no-18-the-social-butterfly-effect" rel="nofollow">Rules Of The Game #18</a>. I browsed this book at the library and decided I will want to read it when I get the time. You will definitely like Duncan J. Watts’ Six Degrees, the one I wrote about in Rules Of The Game #18.

]]> By: Marcello Carlin http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/12/self-organizing-systems-in-the-london-bridge-pret-a-manger/#comment-350940 Marcello Carlin Fri, 14 Dec 2007 14:55:22 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/12/self-organizing-systems-in-the-london-bridge-pret-a-manger/#comment-350940 <i>my pret is long and thin</i> *supply Eddie Brabenesque punchline of your choice* my pret is long and thin

*supply Eddie Brabenesque punchline of your choice*

]]> By: a logged-out pˆnk s lord whatnot http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/12/self-organizing-systems-in-the-london-bridge-pret-a-manger/#comment-350939 a logged-out pˆnk s lord whatnot Fri, 14 Dec 2007 14:44:05 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/12/self-organizing-systems-in-the-london-bridge-pret-a-manger/#comment-350939 my pret is long and thin and has no free-standing tables, only ledges at the windows -- the main tills are at the back, the food only till is right by the door (and only open when super-busy) i used to know some who edited the pret in-house magazine! MOVE OVER THE W!RE! my pret is long and thin and has no free-standing tables, only ledges at the windows — the main tills are at the back, the food only till is right by the door (and only open when super-busy)

i used to know some who edited the pret in-house magazine! MOVE OVER THE W!RE!

]]> By: Tom http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/12/self-organizing-systems-in-the-london-bridge-pret-a-manger/#comment-350935 Tom Fri, 14 Dec 2007 14:28:02 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/12/self-organizing-systems-in-the-london-bridge-pret-a-manger/#comment-350935 The concept of a separate food/drink line seems to be one the manager reaches for on occasion, sometimes he shouts "No hot drinks at this till" but he's so hyperactive it's never very clear which till he means anyway. The concept of a separate food/drink line seems to be one the manager reaches for on occasion, sometimes he shouts “No hot drinks at this till” but he’s so hyperactive it’s never very clear which till he means anyway.

]]> By: a logged-out pˆnk s lord whatnot http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/12/self-organizing-systems-in-the-london-bridge-pret-a-manger/#comment-350932 a logged-out pˆnk s lord whatnot Fri, 14 Dec 2007 14:17:27 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/12/self-organizing-systems-in-the-london-bridge-pret-a-manger/#comment-350932 when it's busy my pret has a separate food only queue i always get cross when OTHERS set up their "own" line -- ONE QUEUE ONE VISION when it’s busy my pret has a separate food only queue

i always get cross when OTHERS set up their “own” line — ONE QUEUE ONE VISION

]]> By: Steve http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/12/self-organizing-systems-in-the-london-bridge-pret-a-manger/#comment-350930 Steve Fri, 14 Dec 2007 14:16:40 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/12/self-organizing-systems-in-the-london-bridge-pret-a-manger/#comment-350930 Old Street Pret (or Moorgate Pret North) has done well by making it impossible to form separate queues for their six tills because of the seating area being in front of them. Instead you uniqueue sideways between the seats and the tills and then do a 180 towards them when a cashier calls you over. Old Street Pret (or Moorgate Pret North) has done well by making it impossible to form separate queues for their six tills because of the seating area being in front of them. Instead you uniqueue sideways between the seats and the tills and then do a 180 towards them when a cashier calls you over.

]]> By: Steve http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/12/self-organizing-systems-in-the-london-bridge-pret-a-manger/#comment-350928 Steve Fri, 14 Dec 2007 14:10:18 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/12/self-organizing-systems-in-the-london-bridge-pret-a-manger/#comment-350928 i mean either do that or just wait in the queue with them until i can get to the stuff i want and THEN bypassing soup-wielders. i mean either do that or just wait in the queue with them until i can get to the stuff i want and THEN bypassing soup-wielders.

]]> By: Steve http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/12/self-organizing-systems-in-the-london-bridge-pret-a-manger/#comment-350927 Steve Fri, 14 Dec 2007 14:09:20 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/12/self-organizing-systems-in-the-london-bridge-pret-a-manger/#comment-350927 what about having a separate COFFEE QUEUE? separate queues in somewhere like Pret should work in theory because it's generally fast and everyone's getting the same sorts of things - hot drinks is the only potential problem. i have a slightly different dilemma when i go to Nincomsoup. I only ever want their wraps and Fentimans cola but they position these behind the queue of people wanting soup so I either have to appear rude by cutting in to grab said food and then cut in again between the people receiving their soup and those finally paying for it. what about having a separate COFFEE QUEUE? separate queues in somewhere like Pret should work in theory because it’s generally fast and everyone’s getting the same sorts of things - hot drinks is the only potential problem.

i have a slightly different dilemma when i go to Nincomsoup. I only ever want their wraps and Fentimans cola but they position these behind the queue of people wanting soup so I either have to appear rude by cutting in to grab said food and then cut in again between the people receiving their soup and those finally paying for it.

]]> By: Tom http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/12/self-organizing-systems-in-the-london-bridge-pret-a-manger/#comment-350924 Tom Fri, 14 Dec 2007 13:59:59 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/12/self-organizing-systems-in-the-london-bridge-pret-a-manger/#comment-350924 I don't think I'm mixing my systems, just pointing out that individuals in the long queue system could collapse it by themselves (and from an individual p.o.v. maybe should) - but this doesn't actually happen unless the manager pulls the trigger, so to speak. I don’t think I’m mixing my systems, just pointing out that individuals in the long queue system could collapse it by themselves (and from an individual p.o.v. maybe should) - but this doesn’t actually happen unless the manager pulls the trigger, so to speak.

]]> By: Andrew Farrell http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/12/self-organizing-systems-in-the-london-bridge-pret-a-manger/#comment-350921 Andrew Farrell Fri, 14 Dec 2007 13:56:24 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/12/self-organizing-systems-in-the-london-bridge-pret-a-manger/#comment-350921 <I>Every individual beyond a certain distance in the queue will find their own utility maximised (i.e. will get their nosh faster) if they leave the queue and go immediately to one of the more empty tills.</I> Aren't you mixing your systems here? Certainly the manager is acting against his interests, as the one long queue minimises the amount of time that there's an empty till. Every individual beyond a certain distance in the queue will find their own utility maximised (i.e. will get their nosh faster) if they leave the queue and go immediately to one of the more empty tills.

Aren’t you mixing your systems here? Certainly the manager is acting against his interests, as the one long queue minimises the amount of time that there’s an empty till.

]]> By: Alan http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/12/self-organizing-systems-in-the-london-bridge-pret-a-manger/#comment-350900 Alan Fri, 14 Dec 2007 12:19:20 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/12/self-organizing-systems-in-the-london-bridge-pret-a-manger/#comment-350900 lovely diagram. oo, i read that on holiday earlier this year. i don't think he ever touches on queues cos they are a too complicated case for his social physics - it's more social chemistry - and there is a whole branch of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queueing_theory. the physics model only works when the forces between the people are relatively weak, his gas/liquid/solid/phase diagram analogies. once the organisation between people becomes complex enough based on other people, prior experience, PD stuff, then the physics analogy has to be abandoned. i see this one long queue in the pret here in the hammersmith broadway and that has the same layout. the other one in the high st has a different layout and doesn't lead to this formation. it's the '5 items or fewer' discipline learned from Tesco metro i reckon, combined with everyone knowing were it many shorter queues there is the frustration of 'my queue is the slowest'. social reserve AND the fact that an interloper will find the arrangement quite hard to exploit (trying to start a smaller queue with a large number of people clearly seeing you do this) might make this quite stable in this shop layout. lovely diagram.

oo, i read that on holiday earlier this year. i don’t think he ever touches on queues cos they are a too complicated case for his social physics - it’s more social chemistry - and there is a whole branch of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queueing_theory.

the physics model only works when the forces between the people are relatively weak, his gas/liquid/solid/phase diagram analogies. once the organisation between people becomes complex enough based on other people, prior experience, PD stuff, then the physics analogy has to be abandoned.

i see this one long queue in the pret here in the hammersmith broadway and that has the same layout. the other one in the high st has a different layout and doesn’t lead to this formation. it’s the ‘5 items or fewer’ discipline learned from Tesco metro i reckon, combined with everyone knowing were it many shorter queues there is the frustration of ‘my queue is the slowest’. social reserve AND the fact that an interloper will find the arrangement quite hard to exploit (trying to start a smaller queue with a large number of people clearly seeing you do this) might make this quite stable in this shop layout.

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