I just went to the refrigerator in the break room to fill up my water bottle. I rounded the corner, and there was my colleague Jack JUST starting to fill up his water bottle. I have a standard 20oz Aquafina bottle, and he as a 1.5L (~50oz) bottle.
I immediately tell him that he should let me go first because I have the smaller bottle (it should be noted that Jack and I are on very familiar terms, so I can say these things). He looks at me, like, "go to hell." So I wait until he's done, and then fill up my bottle, meanwhile getting into a discussion with a third coworker about how this reminds me of my operating systems class in college, and how to schedule computing tasks. First-come, first-served? Shortest job first?
Back at my desk, I do some scratch work.
Adam has a 20oz bottle.
Jack has a 50oz bottle.
Let's assume that the fridge serves 1oz/second for easy math.
So, it takes me 20 seconds to fill my bottle, and 50 seconds for Jack to fill his bottle.
If I go first, and then Jack, then I wait 20 seconds (and leave), and Jack waits 20+50=70 seconds.
If Jack goes first, then Jack waits 50 seconds (and leaves), and I wait 50+20=70 seconds.
So who should go first? One answer depends on whether you're Jack or Adam. :)
However, if Jack and I are a TEAM, whose interests are locked together (which, you know, I kind of like to think we are), then we need to look at the total times.
If I go first, the total time we BOTH wait is 70+20=90 seconds.
If Jack goes first, the total time we BOTH wait is 50+70=120 seconds.
He should have let me go first. After I figure this out, I showed him my calculations. He looked at me, like, "go to hell." :)
This kind of scheduling isn't just esoteric computer stuff. Imagine you're a sushi chef taking orders. Do you fill the orders in the order they are received, independent of how long it takes? Or do you sometimes fill the smaller orders out of turn to get them out of the way? If so, then you obviously can't postpone the bigger order indefinitely, so what is the right balance? In the long run, what is best for your business?
I actually started designing a board game around this exact concept, but never got anywhere with it. But the potential is there.
I immediately tell him that he should let me go first because I have the smaller bottle (it should be noted that Jack and I are on very familiar terms, so I can say these things). He looks at me, like, "go to hell." So I wait until he's done, and then fill up my bottle, meanwhile getting into a discussion with a third coworker about how this reminds me of my operating systems class in college, and how to schedule computing tasks. First-come, first-served? Shortest job first?
Back at my desk, I do some scratch work.
Adam has a 20oz bottle.
Jack has a 50oz bottle.
Let's assume that the fridge serves 1oz/second for easy math.
So, it takes me 20 seconds to fill my bottle, and 50 seconds for Jack to fill his bottle.
If I go first, and then Jack, then I wait 20 seconds (and leave), and Jack waits 20+50=70 seconds.
If Jack goes first, then Jack waits 50 seconds (and leaves), and I wait 50+20=70 seconds.
So who should go first? One answer depends on whether you're Jack or Adam. :)
However, if Jack and I are a TEAM, whose interests are locked together (which, you know, I kind of like to think we are), then we need to look at the total times.
If I go first, the total time we BOTH wait is 70+20=90 seconds.
If Jack goes first, the total time we BOTH wait is 50+70=120 seconds.
He should have let me go first. After I figure this out, I showed him my calculations. He looked at me, like, "go to hell." :)
This kind of scheduling isn't just esoteric computer stuff. Imagine you're a sushi chef taking orders. Do you fill the orders in the order they are received, independent of how long it takes? Or do you sometimes fill the smaller orders out of turn to get them out of the way? If so, then you obviously can't postpone the bigger order indefinitely, so what is the right balance? In the long run, what is best for your business?
I actually started designing a board game around this exact concept, but never got anywhere with it. But the potential is there.
1 comment:
Apparently, Jack's not a part of the team.
Scheduling talk is fun. It kinda makes me miss school.
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