New forum for member feedback

[Ⓐaron]

Since a lot of people probably don't even check the forum index, it's probably worth announcing that we've created a new alternative to post reports, private messages to staff members and threads in the feedback forum. There is now a "Private Feedback Forum" a few forums under this one which effectively does exactly what it says: Members can now give one-on-one feedback to staff. No other non-staff members will be able to see your threads, but the entire staff will be able to see it and respond to it. Hopefully this will help increase the quality of communication between members and staff, which I think even most of us would be willing to admit has been pretty abysmal lately.

As always, you can always come to one of us one-on-one with your concerns as well. Though some of us have real life issues to deal with; I can't promise a swift response and I know a couple of other staff members have been feeling rather overworked lately as well. But we'll do our best.

 

[looneymoon]

If you're going to have a more open policy, you might as well have it completely open rather than partially.

Imo at least.

 

[Celes Chere]

There is now a "Private Feedback Forum"

...why

 

[Alex]

I'm not entirely sure I'm comfortable with the idea of a forum equivalent of taking a prisoner out into the showers in the middle of the night so all the guards can beat him half to death before going back to laugh about it in their club house with a pack of smokes.

 

[Alessa Gillespie]

basically seems like a big private area where the mods can tell the people with the problem that it's not a huge deal and they should get over it

unless of course someone has a problem with another member in which case it's 100% okay for a person to report it and the other person to face punishment. i mean, the report system works, correct? so why can't that be used?

 

[Geostigma]

Good job with thinking positive guys, really liking the vibe around here


I find this approach interesting, it definitely trumps private messaging a single message to multiple staff members. I can see the use in extra section like this in addition to the open forum that is already present.

It seems like a really nice proactive addition to the forum which certainly cant hurt and its nice to know you guys are thinking more proactive then reactive when it comes to these additions.

Good job guys.

 

[Alex]

Don't get me wrong. I don't have a problem with the principle. Just the execution.

Putting more things behind closed doors isn't exactly a step forward on the road to transparency and better communication.

 

[Geostigma]

Don't get me wrong. I don't have a problem with the principle. Just the execution.

Putting more things behind closed doors isn't exactly a step forward on the road to transparency and better communication.

I can see your point here.

How ever its just an extra option for us to use, its not the new mandatory venue to reach out to staff. Transparency is great I grant you that but it doesn't cut it for everything. Some things must stay confident in nature and I can definitely see this as a great way to reach out to staff for help without having to Mass PM all of them.

It just seems really convenient, having more ways to communicate is always nice.
Its not like its going to be corel or something

 

[Zee]

No other non-staff members will be able to see your threads

 

[Alessa Gillespie]

I can see your point here.

How ever its just an extra option for us to use, its not the new mandatory venue to reach out to staff. Transparency is great I grant you that but it doesn't cut it for everything. Some things must stay confident in nature and I can definitely see this as a great way to reach out to staff for help without having to Mass PM all of them.

It just seems really convenient, having more ways to communicate is always nice.
Its not like its going to be corel or something

so what you're saying is

when username makes a dupe he will spam it

 

[Ⓐaron]

One of the problems we've been having has been that several people have been afraid to give us public feedback. But contacting staff privately has its own problems - you have to wait for a staff member to relay your messages to the staff, and then you have to wait for that staff member to get back on and relay the staff discussion back. The purpose of the private feedback forum is to cut out the middleman in this kind of feedback. Staff will be able to see your posts instantaneously, and you won't have to wait for the staff member you PMed to see a response.

I agree that more transparency would definitely be a good thing. When we get our act together (I'll be the first to admit that we have not had things together for the past few days at all) hopefully this will be possible. Right now, however, I'm afraid increasing transparency wouldn't help much - just reveal a staff that can't make up its mind how to deal with any of a number of potentially infraction-worthy posts. Oh, and argues a lot more than it should. The fact that staff responded to a particular post report almost instantaneously and then got yelled at for doing that has pretty much decreased our responsiveness to a crawl. It doesn't help that a number of staff members are MIA either.

 

[Cookie Monster]

In the staff section I suggested the creation of a hidden section which we would use should a complex issue arise. We can invite the members directly involved and we can have a more direct discussion about the problem, instead of having to PM members individually, wait for so and so to sign on and relay information. And we would avoid having to discuss things publicly and disturb the rest of the board. Staff thought that would be bad idea. So you get this.

 

[Zee]

basically seems like a big private area where the mods can tell the people with the problem that it's not a huge deal and they should get over it

this

i would have more faith in this method if the mods took certain reports more seriously

 

[Cookie Monster]

We are taking reports seriously. We just need more direct avenues of communication so you guys aren't sitting on the sidelines waiting for a response.

 

[Geostigma]

so what you're saying is

when username makes a dupe he will spam it

I think this should be a pro rather then a con for the section. The idea that his new threads potentially might be made there is a nice prospect. I would love to not see his posts :3

I dont know I like the prospect of this addition. The fact that its optional is neat I dont really see how this is really a bad thing.
I get that some of you dont have faith in certain staff members but thats no reason to bash a feature that others can take advantage of.

 

[Alessa Gillespie]

hey mods you may want to move threads made in there out of the recent threads thing?

 

[Ⓐaron]

done, I hope. thanks for the heads up

 

[Celes Chere]

thank you that was driving me insane

 

[Sheva Alomar]

I like the idea, but I also am very skeptical on the execution.

 

[Max Payne]

I think I would be more fond of this idea if it came with the complete dissolution of the staff section.

No point in having two private sections for handling moderation problems.

 

[Geostigma]

I think I would be more fond of this idea if it came with the complete dissolution of the staff section.

No point in having two private sections for handling moderation problems.

Pretty interesting.

But that begs the question. "How do we know they really deleted it?"

 

[Cookie Monster]

Not sure if that'll be possible. We need a staff section to keep record of warnings & infractions anyway. And we do use the staff section for content creation and discussion for the front site as well.

 

[Max Payne]

Not sure if that'll be possible. We need a staff section to keep record of warnings & infractions anyway. And we do use the staff section for content creation and discussion for the front site as well.

Then make a section for warnings and infractions only? Is that a thing that is doable?

Why are you hiding discussion of content creation for the front site anyway? Shouldn't that kind of thing be a point of discussion for the entire community?

I really dont see the point in it anymore. I've come over to Yop's side of the discussion and feel like a staff section isn't necessary, or at the very least it doesn't need to be hidden. Transparency and communication people.

Mods don't need their own clubhouse hidden from the rest of the world anymore.

 

[Celes Chere]

Mods don't need their own clubhouse hidden from the rest of the world anymore.

I agree. I would much rather things be said to my face than not, especially if there is a problem with something I've done on the Forums. I don't think Mods/Admins should discuss problems in private and talk about the individuals involved without including them. And I see you've made this new private Forum to erase that, but it's a terrible idea. It's just adding more secret Forums that not everyone can read which could potentially repeat the same shit that we're worried about. And as said there's no point in having a staff section AND this new section.

I think the fact that the Mods/Admins are so desperate to not have the staff section terminated really says something... what's so important you've got to keep locked away and not put out into the open? Seriously.

 

[CK]

They need a place to bitch about the members tiff, you should know that.