By looking at people moving at different speeds and in different contexts, it is possible to see the applicability of different modelling approaches. For instance, sometimes an agent-based approach is appropriate, and other times an engineer might use a fluid-based approach.


Models are commonly assessed by whether they can replicate the 'self-organising phenomena' seen within crowds. These are the different aspects of crowd behaviour that occur naturally, without any external management. For instance, in these videos we can see people queuing, forming lanes independently and moving as small sub-groups (e.g. social or familial groups).

Pedestrian Dynamics is also context-specific. Trying to predict the actions of a group will depend significantly on many factors, such as their surroundings, activity, nearby people...