I followed a link on Giggitys signature and expected/ hoped for a separate quiet little area instead of this public one but I suppose if I think my suggestion could work I have got to be prepared to go public with it
I have been looking through Ryans survey results and one theme has been about communication. This is not meant to be negative/critical but partly its perhaps about not getting replies but also perhaps feeling out pf the loop when some people seem to know whats going on and they dont.
I am going to give a couple of examples of things that left me out of the loop
About a year ago I started a thread here about banning rep. It was quite controversial and had quite a few replies. I think a staff member added a survey. Then it started getting a bit personal so I asked for it to be locked but the issue still remained. Some people thought rep was great and others didnt. Rep stayed so obviously my suggestion was not taken up. I dont have a problem with that (apart from the anonymous neg rep I got for suggesting it) but maybe there could have been an announcement somewhere that it was being kept and the reasons for it. I didnt give anyone rep for ages as it would look hypocritical if it was actually going to be banned on my suggestion. I had no idea what was going to happen. I asked for an update, was promised one but it never arrived. That hurt at the time but to be honest now I think about it, I didnt really need an individual reply and probably while the decision was still being made my pm asking for info would have been overtaken by pages of other stuff and no wonder it was forgotten about.
Another more recent e.g. A few months ago there was an advertised vacancy for an H&D mod. Then there was mention of splitting some of the forums there so more mods would be needed (That was said by a staff member) bu I dont think a mod was ever appointed and the forums havent been split. So I wondered what was going on.
A more recent e.g. - Congratulations to Vorrei who has been made a mod. I discovered that by seeing his name in the staff on- line box. I dont think he has been officially welcomed or anyone been told where he is a mod. If its supposed to be a community wouldnt it be nice to be told these things?
OK if that is a problem, what could be a solution?
How about something as simple as a regularly updated weekly bulletin of news on go? It probably would be best if a staff member was given that particular responsibility. Ryans survey could have been advertised there, announcements about mod positions being open, appointment of new ones, feedback on any hot topics on gov etc.
In case there wasnt any news that week perhaps it could have features too. ( I am less sure about this bit but it could work to make people feel more involved.) E.g. member (mod?) or diary of the week. Perhaps like in football magazines where they ask players a mix of serious and fun questions. In some magazines they invite members to send in e.gs of questions and when they have built up a bank of say 100 each person interviewed is given some randomly selected ones. It gives ordinary members a chance to know what is going on and feel connected.
What do you think?
I have been looking through Ryans survey results and one theme has been about communication. This is not meant to be negative/critical but partly its perhaps about not getting replies but also perhaps feeling out pf the loop when some people seem to know whats going on and they dont.
I am going to give a couple of examples of things that left me out of the loop
About a year ago I started a thread here about banning rep. It was quite controversial and had quite a few replies. I think a staff member added a survey. Then it started getting a bit personal so I asked for it to be locked but the issue still remained. Some people thought rep was great and others didnt. Rep stayed so obviously my suggestion was not taken up. I dont have a problem with that (apart from the anonymous neg rep I got for suggesting it) but maybe there could have been an announcement somewhere that it was being kept and the reasons for it. I didnt give anyone rep for ages as it would look hypocritical if it was actually going to be banned on my suggestion. I had no idea what was going to happen. I asked for an update, was promised one but it never arrived. That hurt at the time but to be honest now I think about it, I didnt really need an individual reply and probably while the decision was still being made my pm asking for info would have been overtaken by pages of other stuff and no wonder it was forgotten about.
Another more recent e.g. A few months ago there was an advertised vacancy for an H&D mod. Then there was mention of splitting some of the forums there so more mods would be needed (That was said by a staff member) bu I dont think a mod was ever appointed and the forums havent been split. So I wondered what was going on.
A more recent e.g. - Congratulations to Vorrei who has been made a mod. I discovered that by seeing his name in the staff on- line box. I dont think he has been officially welcomed or anyone been told where he is a mod. If its supposed to be a community wouldnt it be nice to be told these things?
OK if that is a problem, what could be a solution?
How about something as simple as a regularly updated weekly bulletin of news on go? It probably would be best if a staff member was given that particular responsibility. Ryans survey could have been advertised there, announcements about mod positions being open, appointment of new ones, feedback on any hot topics on gov etc.
In case there wasnt any news that week perhaps it could have features too. ( I am less sure about this bit but it could work to make people feel more involved.) E.g. member (mod?) or diary of the week. Perhaps like in football magazines where they ask players a mix of serious and fun questions. In some magazines they invite members to send in e.gs of questions and when they have built up a bank of say 100 each person interviewed is given some randomly selected ones. It gives ordinary members a chance to know what is going on and feel connected.
What do you think?