The Concept of Leverage & The Minimum Viable Product (MVP)

[#Metro]

The Concept of Leverage & The Minimum Viable Product (MVP)

Leverage is a term that most are familiar with. It means arranging things so that with minimum effort, maximum results are achieved.


Image credit: By CR, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1532333

Levers can be used to exert a large force over a small distance at one end by exerting only a small force (effort) over a greater distance at the other.

A related concept is the Minimum Viable Product (MVP), and is one of the ideas behind Public Transport "Quick Wins". Instead of pursuing projects that require the equivalent of running through fire / sudden radical changes / rebuilding the entire city / enormous expense / generational level lead times, can we ask the question what are the simple things we can do now and cheaply that will help get us there?


Image credit: By Teemu - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=65494330

BUZ boosts ---> patronage grows ---> Brisbane Metro BRT ---> Justifies bus lanes ---> Dedicated corridor ----> LRT

Public Transport Quick Wins
- Restarting the BUZ program (a proven winner with hard data to back it up)
- Boosting off-peak and weekend train frequency on existing lines
- Converting the GCL to a high-frequency route similar to Melbourne's SmartBus or Perth's CircleRoute bus to tie it all together
- Subsidising Airtrain fares to bring it into the Translink network (like Perth).

These are all low or no infrastructure options that can greatly increase mobility. They can probably all be delivered within one term of office (4 years) and for a cost similar to what is being spent annually on 50c fares ($300 million p.a.).

Really good PT improvements can be achieved without a $10b price tag, tunnel boring machines, or a 20-year wait. There *does* exist a way to have good PT more or less today.

[Gazza]

It also helps create a constituency for further improvements.
Eg if you have a frequent bus that is doing well, then it makes the case for bus lanes on that route.