AE question: easiest way to make a group of objects move in a dynamic / fluid motion

[ninose11]

I'd like to move a group of layers/objects across a map fluidly/dynamically and I'm not sure whether to parent them to another shape layer or null so that the master shape layer or null pulls them across. But what I'd like to do is have the squares (in this example) move fluidly in the sense that they don't all take off and stop at once. I know I should use easy ease keyframes and perhaps stagger the 'square' layers. But I was wondering if there might be a better way to do this with expressions or a plugin perhaps? Thank you in advance for any helpful tips / suggestions. 

[OussK]

Add Time Displacement effect to your layers and assign the Time Displacement layer to your controller then give a different max displacement time to each layer. in this case your will get a random follow effect 

[OussK]

You will get somthing like this

[ninose11]

Hi OussK, thanks so much for your help and taking the time to put that example together. This is exactly what I'm trying to do. Thanks again, 😀🙏

[ninose11]

Hi OussK, could you possibly show me how you have Time Displacement set up in those layers. Could you just take a screen shot of your time displacement settings for those layers and the controlling null layer. Thank you very much in advance. 

[OussK]

Here's the AE file https://we.tl/t-8uI6EiW9NY 

[ninose11]

Thank you so much OussK. Very much appreciated! 😀🙏