Ask HN: Optimal office relocation (London) based on journey times of employees
5 comments
I would probably start by asking your staff their nearest 2 underground stations. Upload the spreadsheet to something like ZeeMaps to pin all the locations to a map and getting a visual idea of where clusters appear. You could even do this on your office wall.
However is the best office one that has the shortest journey? Surely neighbourhood, space, cost & local facilities are equally important.
However is the best office one that has the shortest journey? Surely neighbourhood, space, cost & local facilities are equally important.
Can't you run Mapumental for each home and then combine the results somehow to find the best location?
Actually, do they already support this? They say "Mapumental handles multiple start or destination points too."
I was thinking just overlaying the maps as semi-transparent PNGs would reinforce the color gradient of the nearest places.
Actually, do they already support this? They say "Mapumental handles multiple start or destination points too."
I was thinking just overlaying the maps as semi-transparent PNGs would reinforce the color gradient of the nearest places.
Yes, not sure if it's exactly what I want as details are scarce but I've dropped them an email, thanks for the nudge.
It's a problem which is common in the transport sector to decide on where to build warehouses. Unfortunately I don't have recommendations that are open to use, most seem to be custom in-house solutions.
A big question is what you are optimising for? If it's average time, it could be that it is far for everyone. Or are you employees living in clusters that can carry a heigher weight? You already talk about different staff carrying a different weight. etc. etc.
It's typically not even easy to properly define the problem :-)
A big question is what you are optimising for? If it's average time, it could be that it is far for everyone. Or are you employees living in clusters that can carry a heigher weight? You already talk about different staff carrying a different weight. etc. etc.
It's typically not even easy to properly define the problem :-)
There are probably a fintite number of points that are your best guess and near a station. Use station locations inside a radius.
Then run them all through mapumental to get distances. Weighting can be done in code or a spreadsheet.
Or implement a hill climbing algorithm using mapumental and the weights to make your cost function.
Then run them all through mapumental to get distances. Weighting can be done in code or a spreadsheet.
Or implement a hill climbing algorithm using mapumental and the weights to make your cost function.
edited to clarify that Mapumentals service is not wrong, just the way I want to use it