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Are "What is the most efficient way to use resource X/object Y ?" questions accepted on Worldbuilding SE ?

If yes, what information should be added to make them neither opinion based or too broad?

I expect the criteria to be:

  • Exact description of the item

  • Available quantities/number

  • Description of the people who have access to it

  • Goals of these people (what they wish to achieve using the item / what is important to them)

Note : I'm asking this because a question I previously asked about mafias using magical bags was closed, and i'd like to ask a similar question about another object.

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  • $\begingroup$ As pointed out by bilbo_pingouin, to start with you would have to at the very least provide quantifiable criteria that we can use to judge the "efficiency" of the solution proposed in the answer. $\endgroup$
    – user
    Sep 2, 2015 at 14:38
  • $\begingroup$ @MichaelKjörling Yes, my mistake was to mix-up goals and objectives with efficiency measurement. $\endgroup$
    – Babika Babaka
    Sep 2, 2015 at 14:46

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As you write in your question, the tendency for those questions is to be either

  • opinion-based
  • too broad

and sometimes both.

So you need to make sure that the "efficient" is quantifiable in some way. And you need to set a goal. For me a question like

What is the most efficient way to travel from Paris to Brussels.

I am a single Human adult and I am looking for a fast solution with the least impact in term of CO2 on the environment.

would be acceptable. Though it would be closed for not-being about worldbuilding.

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  • $\begingroup$ Thank you, I'll use this for my next question. In my example about mafias and magical bags, I should have stated explicitly that the mafias see as most effective the method that makes the most money? $\endgroup$
    – Babika Babaka
    Sep 2, 2015 at 12:16
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    $\begingroup$ Yes and no. First, means of transports in our world are somewhat limited. So the answerer does not need to take too many different parameters into consideration. Economy (money) is a more complex thing. Second, what is the fastest the last drone I built or a bee from Gallifrey? You can't answer, because you have no idea how fast can said bee fly, and how fast was the last drone I built (I didn't build any for that matter). Same goes for your ways to make money. It would have been better, but still missing many parameters. But maybe wait to get more opinions on the subject. $\endgroup$
    – clem steredenn
    Sep 2, 2015 at 12:52

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