Rock00

Fastest queue

I think we all know what happens every time when there are two queues to choose from... [1]

The simulation will compare common types of queues in terms of mean waiting time.

Assignment

• Project name: Fastest queue
• Author: Karel Rochelt
• Software used: NetLogo

Background

From my experience, there are three common types of queues.

• 1:1 : This is the case that we usually see in supermarkets. There can be multiple counters, but each counter has it's own queue. The only advantage of this setup is that there is a slight possibility that you can find very short or empty queue at one of the counters while all other counters have long queue.
• 1:N : This is a case when there are mutliple counters but only one shared queue. This setup is generally considered more fair, as you don't have to wait for "The Really Slow Guy" just before you (unless there's a Really Slow Guy at every counter at once).
• M:N : This setup can be usually seen in banks or post offices where different counters perform different services. To avoid confusion, there usually aren't any physical queues, but the customer receives a number and waits for his number to be called. The advantage is that the customer only has to wait for people that want the same (or similar) service and came before him.

Goal of the simulation

The goal of this simulation is to compare the 3 types of queues in terms of mean waiting time. The 1:1 queue will be probably the slower, but how much faster are the other types?

What will be simulated

The same setup will be simulated with each of the queue types.

Rock00 13:36, 15 December 2014 (CET)