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DYNAMIC CROWD MEASUREMENT An innovative approach to the management of crowds
AUTHORS
Andrew TatraiNon-Executive Director, Australian Concert and Entertainment Security.
Travis SemmensManaging Director, Australian Concert and Entertainment Security.
Aaron TranConsultant, Australian Concert and Entertainment Security.
www.dynamiccrowdmeasurement.com
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Dynamic Crowd Measurement Abstract
© 2016 Australian Concert and Entertainment
Security Pty Ltd
ABSTRACT
The effective management of crowds underpins not only the success of an event in relation to quality and customer satisfaction, but also to meet fundamental duties and responsibility to the health, safety and security of patrons.
The effective management of crowds requires event organisers have access to means to accurately measure important characteristics and metrics of crowds and their behaviour. Dynamic Crowd Measurement (DCM) was developed to provide organisations with a more accurate methodology for the measurement of key crowd metrics in real-time, allowing for more effective planning and decision-making in crowd management.
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WHAT IS DYNAMIC CROWD MEASUREMENT (DCM)?
The increasing body of knowledge on crowd science is still lacking a definitive method to define changes in crowd safety levels. The effective management of crowds requires event organisers to accurately measure important characteristics and metrics of crowds and their behaviour and respond in real time.
Dynamic Crowd Measurement (DCM) seeks to contribute to the development of crowd measurement by proposing a hybrid quantitative/ qualitative methodology. This method is developed for crowd controllers to collect data at gatherings. This data can then be used to develop ‘trigger points’ to implement crowd management techniques to reduce crowd congestion to the desired target levels.
DCM proposes an accessible approach based on real-time data collection in the field by trained staff based on three crowd metrics: Crowd Density, Crowd Flow and Crowd Mood. DCM measures and monitors the interaction between crowd density, crowd flow, and crowd mood, to provide a more accurate picture of crowd behaviour.
The DCM methodology leverages the experience gained by ground staff instead of relying on abstract estimations and calculations, providing a method that is both highly responsive and adaptable to different event environments and contexts.
WHY WAS DCM DEVELOPED?
Many organisations will be familiar with computer simulation and crowd modelling approaches. Whilst these methods prove to be valuable tools, they are also limited in their ability to provide real-time information for decision-making, and particularly in reacting to aspects of crowd behaviour that cannot be predicted beforehand.
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www.dynamiccrowdmeasurement.com
MOODFLOW
DENSITY
This includes how factors influencing crowd behaviour can vary across contexts (such as different local cultures, types and genres of events), spaces (such as different venue and site characteristics) and time (such as variation and changes across the duration of the event itself). DCM was developed to enhance crowd management capability, building on the work of Dr John J Fruin, to create a method that can provide accurate information on crowd behaviour and dynamics that will allow for effective crowd management decision making in real-time.
ACES motivation for the development of DCM method is based on our experience and participation in securing large scale public mass gatherings ranging from large music festivals to public events such as Vivid Sydney.
ACES identified a need for a consistent methodology of factual quantitative measurement to inform effective crowdmanagement responses for state and localgovernment, law enforcement and private sector owners /operators of events and major venues.
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www.dynamiccrowdmeasurement.com
Of particular concern was the need for a method that could contribute to rapidly identifying potential issues and indicate the need for action to prevent escalation to the point of heightened or likely risk of injury. It is intended that the quantitative results can prompt quicker and better pre-planned response than subjective qualitative description methods, and be statistically more consistent.
HOW CAN DCM ENHANCE OUR CROWD MANAGEMENT CAPABILITIES?
DCM can provide crowd measurement data that more accurately accounts for the diverse and complex range of modern events, particularly in relation to fluctuations and differences in crowd behaviour within event sites and congestion points in mass gatherings.
By utilising DCM, organisations will be equipped with a ready, accurate and effective tool to prepare and plan crowd management strategies, and respond quickly to emerging threats. In particular, DCM allows organisations to answer the question: “When do pedestrians become a crowd, and when does that crowd need a crowd management response.”
For stakeholders involved in the managementof crowds, DCM can enhance their risk management, planning and decision-making capabilities in three key areas:
1. DCM can provide a method for measurement of crowds that is based on real-time data rather than on prior risk assessments, models or assumptions;
2. DCM can produce factual measurements of crowd dynamics for initiating response actions as well as review, training and management purposes; and
3. DCM can be quickly established and performed with minimal set-up or equipment costs, and crowd management staff can be readily trained to effectively utilise the system.
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THE FUTURE FOR DCM
DCM has been successfully trialled across multiple major events and venues, including prominent and world-class events and festivals attracting millions of visitors over the course of several weeks. In these complex event and crowd environments, DCM allowed event organisers to measure crowd density, crowd flow, and crowd mood to minimise risks of injury and maintain optimal conditions for patron comfort.
Key insights gained from the use of DCM includes confirmation that even when overall venue capacity may not have exceededmore than 50 percent, specific areas and ‘pockets’ of a venue can experience potentialcrowd management issues due to high crowd density, low crowd flow and negative crowd mood. By using DCM, event organisers gained a more accurate picture of complex crowd behaviour across the site, facilitating more effective decision-making and targeted strategies to manage crowd risk.
DCM continues to be trialled and developed in consultation with stakeholders in the private and public sector, as well as leading academics and crowd management experts.
For more information on DCM, including how it can be applied to your organisation or event, please contact:
Dynamic Crowd Measurementinfo@dynamiccrowdmeasurement.comwww.dynamiccrowdmeasurement.com
Travis Semmens, Managing Director M: +61 402 969 [email protected]
ACES Group79-81 Regent Street, Redfern NSW 2016P: 02 9699 7711F: 02 9699 [email protected]
www.dynamiccrowdmeasurement.com
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Dynamic Crowd Measurement Abstract© 2016 Australian Concert and Entertainment Security Pty Ltd. For more information on DCM please contact:
Dynamic Crowd Measurementinfo@dynamiccrowdmeasurement.comwww.dynamiccrowdmeasurement.com
Travis Semmens, Managing Director M: +61 402 969 [email protected]
ACES Group P: 02 9699 7711F: 02 9699 [email protected]
79-81 Regent Street, Redfern NSW 2016. ABN: 16 002 990 794 M/L: 404776913 ASIAL Member: 003749
ACES Group is a trading name of Australian Concert and Entertainment Security Pty Ltd
