Line Management Department

Started by eHash, July 07, 2014, 11:59:10 AM

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eHash

I'd like to see a specific department for Line Management that could be a specific sub-team of an existing department dedicated ONLY to Line Management.

While the days of "LineCon" for reg might have appeared to be solved, the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality doesn't apply to lines elsewhere in the con.

I believe that a team or department should be created to deal with these lines, and analyze and report back why they exist.  While lines can be great for establishing something is going on ("hey there's a lot of people in line, let's check it out"), they can also be caused by a temporary logistical hold up (bag/badge checks at the dance, dress code checks at black and white, id checks at the 18+ events, etc).

Currently, the rovers have been tasked with general crowd control, but dedicating trained rovers to line management instead of patrols causes a deficit in one required function.  At the dance, if I have to use more rovers and staff outside to manage a temporary line of a 1000 people, I have less doing checks at the door and inside patrolling.  This is also a problem when there is counter programming (like the early hours of the dance vs musicfest or black and white). 

Additionally, I believe this new team should have access to their own stanchions (this way a department's budget doesn't get hurt by a sudden temporary need), plan ahead for extra stanchion deployment, or have direct contact with the venue's stanchion team.  Facilities is great at doing this for us now, however when there are multiple issues going on, this could represent a 20 to 30 minute delay.  Being able to move the stanchions gives the con the ability to more quickly respond and control line situations.  A team that has already worked with both the rovers, logistics, and facilities to understand restrictions (like if in the con center or parkside hall, a union facilities tech has to be there, or in a hotel, what that hotel may or may not have available)

The line management team should also be able to quickly understand the needs of the event they are managing the line for and conveying any additional information necessary (ie: at the dance, reminder to read the rules or that no bags are allowed).

I know staff are discouraged from making suggestions like these in the forums, however I have chosen to post this here for the following reasons:
(1) Ideas need support, reply and provide your support if you feel like this would improve your experience
(2) If created, it would need a staff, taking existing staff from other departments would defeat the purpose, so if it interests you as something you want to do, look in to it.
(3) While a need of my department, the function is outside my division :P