Kødesign

Kødesign, or queue design, is the planning and arrangement of queues and service points with the aim of guiding customer flow, reducing waiting times, and improving user experience. It encompasses physical layout, information systems, and policy choices that determine how people move through service processes. Good kødesign balances efficiency, fairness, accessibility, and safety.

Core principles include optimizing throughput while minimizing perceived wait time; ensuring equitable treatment of users; designing for accessibility for people with disabilities; maintaining clear sightlines and safe circulation; and enabling flexibility to handle variable demand and peak periods. Insights from queueing theory and service design inform practical decisions about where to place service points, how long the queues should be, and when to open additional channels.

Key elements are the physical layout of queues and channels (barriers, rails, floor markings), the location and type of service points (counters, kiosks, gates), information systems (signage, displays, ticketing), and staff support. Signage and wayfinding reduce confusion, while privacy considerations may affect queue configurations in certain contexts. Digital tools, such as virtual queues or appointment systems, can replace or supplement traditional lines.

Common approaches include single-queue/multi-server designs and multiple parallel queues, as well as hybrid models that use tokens or numbers. The choice depends on demand patterns, service times, and the need for fairness and predictability. Applications span retail, banks, airports, healthcare facilities, and public services.

Evaluation relies on metrics like average wait time, service rate, queue length, and abandonment rate, often analyzed through queueing theory and Little's Law. Ongoing adjustments aim to improve flow, reduce bottlenecks, and enhance user satisfaction.