Theorizing Protocolization II: Atomic Protocol Questions

The article introduces Atomic Protocol Questions (APQs), a new research track from the Special Interest Group in Formal Protocol Theory (SIGFPT) that poses small, well-scoped questions about specific protocolized systems as a bottom-up complement to top-down theory-building. Each APQ pairs an empirical context, a key dimension of protocolization, and a precise research question. The authors use bus bunching as an example, noting that it is a protocol problem about coordination rules rather than technology choice. Sample questions ask how much operational discretion human agents should keep in dynamic dispatch protocols, and what non-invasive data sources can capture user heterogeneity affecting demand.