Policy Discussion

[singularitymods.livejournal.com]

Some of Singularity's players have questions about the game policies on AU character applications. This post has been put up to allow players to approach the staff to ask questions, offer suggestions, and voice concerns regarding those policies. The moderators are also available via IM/PM [contact information] if any player does not feel comfortable discussing their concerns in public.

As of the end of this application round (August 15th), AU applications will be closed until this matter can be resolved. This ban on AU apps does not apply to the exceptions listed in the AU policies (malleable protagonists and canon AUs).

Comments

[ecto-biologist.livejournal.com]

I'll have more when my brain stops trying to kill me, but having talked with Catie (Head mod over at a_facility), here's some notes she dropped on how to streamline the app process - especially in regards to time. Here's the cliffnotes version:

Cycle Change: Singularity's cycles don't allow for a lot in the way of of a break when it comes to app processing. A "Two for Reserves, Two for Apps", while good for lower-traffic games, doesn't work for the current traffic Singularity has coming in. The solution here is to pick a week - preferably one already covered during the 'two-on, two-off' cycle to devote to apps, while leaving three to handle reserves and other bits of modly business cuts down on the amount of traffic every month. Things might also seem to go faster if you pick a day when approvals and rejections get handed out.

App Processing: From what I understand, a number of mods- familiar with an apps canon - have to be present in order to get approvals and rejections, and you go through them one at a time. The solution here was pretty simple: Google Docs. From what I understand, mods usually have regular access to Google Docs. This allows each mod to - as apps filter in - read them and put their stance on the Google Doc - be it approval, rejection, revisions, or other. These can be peppered throughout the week on the apps that mods/app team can contribute on. Then a day (Let's say, for example, apps are processed 24 hours after submissions close.) is decided in which one mod can go through and give the copy-pasted acceptance spiel - or, if needed, a rejection spiel -, but the key here is to turn a majority voting into pseudo-majority. If mods and app team cannot reach a consensus, a rejection should be defaulted to. But only among those that know the canon. This allows more flexible scheduling between our mods, who are naturally very very busy with their home lives.

Policing Reserves - It should be stated that catching things in the reserve process saves both Singularity staff and Singularity applicants a lot of trouble. Catching reserves that might have issues - and warning applicants ahead of time - helps keep things functioning. Even if only half those that reserve apply, those that have been warned that their app might be likely to be judged harder that do apply are able to reasonably manage their case better - it may seem like policing or babysitting, but catching problems before their occur is the basis of being a moderator.

• Temporary Staff? It has been pointed out to me by a few members of the mod team that policing the reserves page is too intensive from a time standpoint. If that's the case, maybe seeking out volunteers who would work as 'Technical Assistants' would help alleviate the problem. Staff members who don't qualify as moderators or app team members, but who help maintain various parts of the community that the moderators are having trouble maintaining. I know several people who can and would volunteer to help with Singularity's various elements (Revamping wiki-pages and organization, helping maintain the reserves page stated above, helping maintain and/or drive the metaplot, and adding easy-to-use HTML navigation, among other things were listed.) simply asking for volunteers can be a great boon to the staff, who - as stated - is very likely busy with other things, most importantly their jobs and day to day lives.

I had more, I'll think of it later on. There was a lot of stuff I was thinking about while not able to do anything this weekend. People are welcome to ask questions.

[northborn.livejournal.com]

I'll probably comment more later, but I wanted to say that we already use Googledocs for our app process.

[ecto-biologist.livejournal.com]

Drive-by Reply, here. pchooooo and whatnot.

I guess I don't see why applications take so long, then? AUs I can understand - especially with the rules as they are (but more on that later), when you guys can leave comments to each other and shoot back and forth on Googledocs all throughout the week? It seems like the system can and should be faster somehow. If you're using Google Docs to pepper out commentary on applications, shooting back and forth doesn't take long and often doesn't need to have everyone present.

[memorymodus.livejournal.com]

Going off of this. I understand that you're familiar with some canons more than others, but making some people wait almost the entire month for their applications to be processed seems a little unfair, even if you guys are impossibly busy. Especially if you're using googledocs and it only needs three votes to be accepted.

[timehacked.livejournal.com]

^ This. When I used to mod The Wake, even canons we didn't know only took us a few days at most.

[northborn.livejournal.com]

Actually, I should probably explain the app process as it is.

Currently apps are linked in a google doc in which we use for discussion on the particular app. The apps are always handled a 3-like-vote basis, rather than waiting for a majority rule.

[ecto-biologist.livejournal.com]

That seems a little extreme. At least from my standpoint - there are six members of staff who vote on apps, correct? The four mod team members, and the two app team members. I feel like, especially considering the way things are going, responsibilities could be divvied up so that not everyone has to handle every app. Especially since three-like-votes is a majority anyway. If I remember correctly, there needs to be a minimum of three voting on apps regardless. If only three are present to judge an app, and the app needs three to pass, it essentially forces all the members to take a particular side, with the app stonewalled until further notice. A majority system would cut down on this when the staff is busy - if only three are present, they can debate and make their opinion known. That's from my standpoint, at least. With, like I said, rejection being a default in the case of complete disagreements.

[singularitymods.livejournal.com]

The 3-like-vote basis is the basic ground rule, but if things are tight we can work with two so long as it has at least one vote of mod input.

[ecto-biologist.livejournal.com]

That's not quite what I'm looking for. Though having one input of a mod is good What I'm saying is it should be a majority of whoever is looking at potential apps. If four of the team are overseeing an AU app, then the majority would be three. If there are only three people, then two would be the majority. Full staff has to work on an app(Not advisable, obviously.) Four out of six, or in the case of a pseudo-majority rule, whichever got the most out of Rejection, Approval, or Revisions. The process could be made a lot faster this way. Especially if others are abstaining because they don't quite know the canon. If no one knows the canon, obviously a bigger team will be needed totackle that app, but being able to be flexible with votes and how they're carried out might grease the wheels enough to get the system back on track.

/is lavvy

[barkstabbark]

Re: Temporary Staff/TAs, I've seen this system at work at facility as well and it seems to work wonders. The app team is kind of the same concept, just specifically for apps. Also, I would be more than happy to maintain lists/do up HTML for you guys if you ever need it, all you have to do is ask. I love doing all that boring technical shit :|b

Also I think the three week/one week system would help a lot with the appload, too. The game has picked up in speed significantly, so two weeks of apps is a little much. That gives applicants more time to think about who they want to reserve/app as well before they write the actual app.

[memorymodus.livejournal.com]

Same with the offer, I adore HTML and upkeep of lists, and wouldn't mind helping if you ever needed it. And I agree that it's worked great at the other games I'm in -- it would help to lighten the mod's load and give them more time to focus on applications.

[ecto-biologist.livejournal.com]

It shouldn't need to be said but I love being the intern monkey. I would police the reserve page and wouldn't mind being thrown at other tasks (rule rewrites, apps IF NEEDED, requests, minor pages that can be updated (when was the last time the job board was updated for instance), anything.)