Joshua Jeffery | Get in Line

get in line

Get in Line is a cell phone-activated queue entertainment system.

It began as a student pitched project I originated with colleagues at Carnegie Mellon University's Entertainment Technology Center. Since it's inception, it has been developed for a year at the University, become the flagship product of a technology start-up company and been installed at several live events.

As a University Project

• Fall 2008– During the first semester of the project, my team conducts research at theme parks and consults with industry professionals zeroes in on cell phones as a technology platform; it's something that guests bring with them, and most engage with while waiting in line. By partnering with a cell phone company, we were able to allow guests to 'dial into' video displays that were already in lines (usually showing marketing or b-roll footage).

We formulate our philosophy toward designing experiences for queues, which involves three key components:
• Technology - utilize what guests bring with them
• 'Queuemunity' - leverage the good thing about waiting in line: the other people you're with! All Get in Line experiences play on this social aspect.
• Theme - Utilize the queue as an extension of the attraction; theme the experience to what guests are waiting for.

At the end of the semester, we put our theory to the test and created an experience for the Building Virtual Worlds Show queue, which was 2 hours long and had more than 150 guests. The line was split into two (the left-brain line and right brain line), each represented by a character in a story. Guests played mini-games helping their character both competitively and collaboratively. Surveys post-experience proved it was a great success!

• Spring 2009 – Approved by the University for a second semester of study, we added new members to the team and set out to experiment with 'Get in Line' in a theme park-style environment.

We worked with the University's Spring Carnival Committee and created a multi-location experience for the event. Lasting 4 days, guests would roam the fairgrounds, encountering Get in Line game installations at pre-determined locations (near high traffic areas or in-line for events or rides). Their accomplishments were tracked from place to place as each guests was a part of a larger 'park-wide leaderboard'. They could also unlock 'achievements' for playing and were able to create a custom character at home which would appear on screen when they dialed in at the park.

It was a huge undertaking, but another great success. We had more than 2,000 players over three days, many of whom played multiple games and unlocked multiple achievements.

As a Professional Product

• May 2009– Upon graduation from Carnegie Mellon, colleagues and I started a technology starup in Pittsburgh with Get in Line as the flagship product. Although relatively new, it has most recently been seen at the Penny Arcade Expo 2009 in Seattle Washington, for the 6,000+ person 'queue room'.

For more information, visit the project's home page here.