How a radio podcast on queuing at coffee shops got me thinking about prioritisation of work and and a bit about getting coffee sooner.
I was listening to a podcast called By Design. They where discussing the mechanics of Queuing and a listener raised an interesting point. They had observed a “Queue” at a Coffee Shop in Italy. The queue in this instance was formed by 50 people gathering around a barista in no “apparent” order. This was in stark contrast to the queue they had observed at a German Coffee shop. The German queue followed what would normally be expected in Australian society. Fifty People, neatly prioritised in a line - based on their arrival time.
This got me thinking - Agile is kind of a queue - right? A collection of individual items, actioned in a prioritised order. But, which kind of queue is it? Anglo-Germanic or Italian? Is it neat and orderly or does it appear more like chaos?
Let’s take a deeper look at each queue.
Italian Queue
Pros
The Italian queue is focused on more than arrival time - if you are in a rush you can edge forward and get in and out quicker. It allows a conversation - you can negotiate your way through and base your priority on the needs of those queueing around you.
The Barista can - if desired - take a part in the ebb and floe. Overall, it is a negotiation as much as a queue.
There is visibility of individual customer needs - to be able to hear the conversations around you gives insights into what is happening for others and the ability to adjust based on their needs.
Prioritisation and context are integrated - potentially maximising efficiency. I am sure there are disagreements and friction. But these are contained to the coffee shop - rather than the conflict being at your place of work - when you arrive late. You deal with the friction at the coffee shop - where the delay is realised.
Cons
I would guess the biggest issue is how much harder is is to learn the rules - in fact, you could say there are no rules. It is simply a group of people negotiating their way forward.
This kind of system appears harder to predict. There is no standard measure and with so many variables planning is hard to do. However is it all about planning? Is it more about coffee realised as opposed to coffee planned?
It is also harder to franchise and scale this model. You can’t franchise chaos, no Starbucks here! This is about people being people. Does Starbucks even exist in Italy?
A system like this cannot be managed with micro-management. The systems works on conversation, decisions and not rules. For a larger organisation this queue could appear somewhat daunting.
So with that - let’s move on to the somewhat more “orderly” queue!
Anglo Germanic Queueing
Pros
Easier to manage and apply rules - actually, just one simple rule - first in first out. No exceptions. Queue jumping is frowned upon. Easier to manage and easier to measure.
The Anglo-Germanic Queue appears simpler for estimating flow - you count people in and people out. All variables are removed from the system. This ensures the appearance of simplicity.
It is also much easier for the uninitiated to understand - one rule, and that is that. Sure it may not suit you, but it is far from vague.
Cons
The Anglo-Germanic Queue makes it quite hard to adapt to changing conditions - for example if it starts to rain and the Queue goes out the door you get wet. There is no way to change direction or location. You have your Queue, you stick to it. Rain, hail or shine.
It does not allow for the immediate needs of each individual. The person running late has as much priority as the person with 30 minutes to spare. Without a conversation there is no flexibility.
This lack of flexibility also means blockages can happen more easily. Imagine if the coffee shop runs out of milk. Does the entire Queue stop whilst new milk is purchased? What about those waiting to order ristrettoes? No milk needed there, but they are at the back of the Queue!
All rather simplistic
Ok, yeah, sure, this is all reducing shades of gray to black and white. But that is the point! Too often systems are imposed with strict rules that do not take into account the complexity of the situation they are dealing with.
Take a look at what is touted as “Best Practice” and take it to its extreme. Ask why is the system used and make sure it is flexible to allow for the best possible outcome.
The best possible outcome for me is a double-shot ristretto - pronto!
Some questions we could apply to our own practice
Is the queue ordained based on the need to prioritise work and manage resources?
Is the queue managed based on what is next in line rather than most value?
Is the barista aware of the context of the people needing the coffee?
Is the barista clear of what complexity lies ahead?
Think about who in your organisation would prefer a particular method of queueing? How do we communicate our backlog of work, how do we respond when queue “jumpers” drop in and how do we respond to urgent changes?