Openly Developed Community / Bridging the Staff-User Gap

[Red Herring]

So, I'd like the assistance of more brains than mine here. The community I'm currently developing aims to be one openly developed and created by the community itself. By that I mean we follow the Wikipedia method in that everyone contributes freely, and the community is built entirely by the community for the community with a purpose dictated by the community.

I would your help in achieving this goal; both in terms of suggestions furthering the concept, and feedback on my current ideas. Ones that won't potentially destroy my forums, but ones that still allow for a lot of breathing room. I would be very appreciative of anyone willing to offer their thoughts to this pile.
:great:

So, I'd like any clever suggestions that offer ideas to: bridge the gap between user and staff and allow the community to be more involved with its own development.

With that in mind, here are the current ideas that I have.

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Host Roster, Not Staff List [Implemented]
It's a pretty simple idea, but one I quite like. All staff members are referred to as "Hosts" rather than "Staff". Our community is our home, after all, and we're not employees being paid. We simply enjoy entertaining our guests.

"This Is An Openly Developed Community" [Implemented]
Another simple idea that I've put into practice. Every guidelines/rules thread we have, as well as some miscellaneous sections will have a notice at the very bottom of the original post: a notice reading that this community is an openly developed one, and should they have any suggestions on improvement to guidelines/rules/etc, they should offer up their suggestions in the thread or at the community center.

"Website 2.0" [Implemented]
Every week or two (or three/four/five/six/seven, depending), we will be administering suggested changes that users have agreed should be put into place (ones that have been accepted by hosts/users alike). An announcement thread will be released: "Website v1.92" or some such, detailing the "changelog" and all users that have contributed to the update (through suggestion or actual development), all of whom are listed and credited in the thread.

Development Awards System [Implemented]
To encourage active development and suggestions by the userbase, a rewards system will be put into place. A grand list of credits naming every user who has ever contributed to the website will be guaranteed. Prominent contributors might even have their own little mini-profile in the credits thread, along with a link to their website/etc. Furthermore, every time a user reaches a milestone in number of contributions to the website, they are awarded a badge for that milestone. We may also feature awards of forum currency or even pure cash/gift awards in some shape or form, depending on the situation.

Regency Program [Consideration]
This is an idea I've been considering to assist in bridging the host/user gap. A "Regency" Program. Simply put, at any time, a user may apply to become the "Regent" of certain forums and categories. They would be expected to care for that category/forum, and become its "Regent." Regents are not members of the Host Roster, but they will have limited moderator control over their category/forum. Nothing too dangerous. They would not have the power to delete posts (although they might be able to split posts into the archives), and would have some more basic commands like sticky/unsticky, perhaps even lock/unlock. Executed well, this could take a good deal of stress off the actual moderator team.

There would be restrictions in applying for Regency. Such as a minimum post count requirement.

VIP System [Consideration]
I have a most interesting idea for a VIP system. The issue I have with it, however, is that it may be a bit too confusing for the users. I don't believe it is myself, but it's certainly a bit more..."cultivated" than a VIP system anyone may be used to.

I will have four VIP groups.

Benefactors: Donators. It's obvious what this one entails. They receive the same privileges as the next two, but they have no authority or say in host matters, like the next two do.

Dignitaries: This is a VIP group awarded by the Host Roster to users that have been recognized as having performed a great service to the community; in a vast variety of different ways. Whether it be through active participation in community development, having assisted the community in some essential form, or perhaps for just being one of our most active patrons.
Dignitaries receive the same privileges and benefits as Benefactors, but also maintain a bit of authority in community/host matters and all have unrestricted access to host forums.
A member of the host roster cannot become a Dignitary (unless their service has truly been a long and excellent one), however, hosts who have served on the roster for awhile and have performed their duties excellently are immediately awarded Dignitary status upon retirement.

Luminaries: On the flip-side of the coin, this is a VIP group dictated by the community. A system will be put into place where users can anonymously nominate other members of the community for this position every month or every few months. The candidate that receives the most nominations will become the next Luminary. They have the same privileges and authority as a Dignitary, and generally represent the community as best they can.
No member can become a Luminary unless they are elected in this fashion. Not any host member, not even myself.
This is mostly the group that concerns me the most, as I fear it turning into nothing but a simple popularity contest when the importance is greater than one. If you have any suggestions on how to act against it turning into popularity contest, please let me know.

Paragons: The final VIP group is reserved for members of the community that achieve membership of all three VIP groups (Becoming a Benefactor, Luminary and Dignitary. The Benefactor requirement might be waived if their service has been truly exceptional.) Having been acknowledged by both the community and the hosts, and having directly contributed to the financial well-being of the site, this group has the most privileges. I have even considered granting this group limited (not dangerous or potentially destructive) moderator powers.


All VIP groups, save for Benefactor, can be stripped from a user if they are abusing their position.

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Also, for those of you who want to know the general "theme"/"genre" this website is going to be, click here.

Spoiler

1. The development theme is part of the theme itself, but the intention is to begin as a general discussion / personal user projects (for users to show off projects they are developing / get some assistance / etc); two categories I've taken great care to meld together. This is in addition to forums dedicated to the development of the community.

Once we've established a base community, and depending on the users themselves, and the development of the community; we will branch out: adding more categories or forums / melding them together / etc as the community wills it, something I very much intend to encourage. If, however, we want to take a step into the direction of a purpose that would be ridiculous for a single forum to contain, then we will branch into a network of sister sites.

For instance, let's say the userbase requests website promotion services / development. Obviously, combining this with general discussion and project development would make for quite a massive index. So instead, assuming the general consensus likes the idea (and we have the resources available), we will branch off into a sister site themed towards promotion / webmaster discussion. It's quite possible I will even make the primary site and all sister sites run from a global user database allowing for accounts work universally. Either through cron execution, or if we're feeling up to it, making the changes necessary to put the idea into literal practice.
All sister sites will be linked together in a very noticeable fashion, and from any of them, you would be able to navigate to whatever sister site you like.

And of course, the community would assist in the development of any sister sites just as they do the primary one.

This is the general concept.

So then. Can anyone offer any ideas of their own this little bin? Or even feedback on the current ideas I have?

Thank you very much, in advance.
:great:

 

[Migi]

Interesting ideas. Here are my thoughts in no special order:

[*] With this kind of complicated setting, what will the forum's theme based on? Theme = category. I mean is it a general discussion forum, or a gaming forum, or something else?
[*] I like all implemented ideas. Check.
[*] For "Regency". Interesting idea, but if you don't consider them as part of hosts, I'd say to assign them a task not directly related to moderation. Because if they can moderate it won't make many difference to hosts, no? For example, they can be 'event organizers'. Add new threads, come up with new events at that section, small or large-scale. Basically keeping things active instead of keeping things clean. I hope I make sense here.
[*] For "Luminary". I can't think of a way to make it not a popularity contest. If you ask a user to nominate another user as one of the best member of the forum, you cannot deny subjectivity will play the biggest role there. Thus making it a popularity contest. One of the possible ways to tackle this is to have hosts or other VIP groups to consider it too from other point of views, hoping they can provide a more objective view.

 

[Geoffrey]

This all sounds grand and you have clearly put a lot of thought into this one part of the forum. What I'm not seeing talked about at all is what is going to be the main part of the forum and what will keep the forum alive: your community, your niche, your focus. There's no point in any of these 'features' which are really just expanding on the typical suggestions forum that all forums have if you don't have a plan for your community to keep it active and enjoyable.

 

[Red Herring]

Interesting ideas. Here are my thoughts in no special order:

<snip>

This all sounds grand and you have clearly put a lot of thought into this one part of the forum. What I'm not seeing talked about at all is what is going to be the main part of the forum and what will keep the forum alive: your community, your niche, your focus. There's no point in any of these 'features' which are really just expanding on the typical suggestions forum that all forums have if you don't have a plan for your community to keep it active and enjoyable.

Thank you very much for the feedback. There's some excellent suggestions in there. And to answer to them / your questions, here are my responses; listed in the respective order of your own points.

1. The development theme is part of the theme itself, but the intention is to begin as a general discussion / personal user projects (for users to show off projects they are developing / get some assistance / etc); two categories I've taken great care to meld together. This is in addition to forums dedicated to the development of the community.

Once we've established a base community, and depending on the users themselves, and the development of the community; we will branch out: adding more categories or forums / melding them together / etc as the community wills it, something I very much intend to encourage. If, however, we want to take a step into the direction of a purpose that would be ridiculous for a single forum to contain, then we will branch into a network of sister sites.

For instance, let's say the userbase requests website promotion services / development. Obviously, combining this with general discussion and project development would make for quite a massive index. So instead, assuming the general consensus likes the idea (and we have the resources available), we will branch off into a sister site themed towards promotion / webmaster discussion. It's quite possible I will even make the primary site and all sister sites run from a global user database allowing for accounts work universally. Either through cron execution, or if we're feeling up to it, making the changes necessary to put the idea into literal practice.
All sister sites will be linked together in a very noticeable fashion, and from any of them, you would be able to navigate to whatever sister site you like.

And of course, the community would assist in the development of any sister sites just as they do the primary one.

This is the general concept.

2. Well, thank you very much.

3. Good suggestions. I had intended for something similar, but not to such a degree. I will have to consider more of this.

4. Good idea as well. Anything to prevent it from degrading into such. Thank you.

 

[Atrox]

Did not read what is above, only briefly. But have you placed in a Polling Room in your Community boards room where people can "elect" new features to be implemented on the forum, and idea that is sensible and receives more than 8 votes possibly?

You could also do monthly election for staff, however they have to submit their forms to you privately. You narrow them down to the most trustworthy 5 and then they get placed into a poll with their little "speech" on how they're going to serve the community and the members vote for the best "speech" and what sounds better to them. Of course they will be put into the poll anonymously and you should block the candidates from viewing the thread.

 

[Red Herring]

Did not read what is above, only briefly. But have you placed in like a Polling Room in your Community boards room where people can "elect" new features to be implemented on the forum, and idea that is sensible and receives more than 8 votes possibly?

Correct. That is the general process. Ideas are shared, discussion is had, things are voted on. Features / changes / the works. If everything is sensible, it's added to the to-do list and implemented in an "update."

You could also do monthly election for staff, however they have to submit their forms to you privately. You narrow them down to the most trustworthy 5 and then they get placed into a poll with their little "speech" on how they're going to serve the community and the members vote for the best "speech" and what sounds better to them. Of course they will be put into the poll anonymously and you should block the candidates from viewing the thread.

Elected staff/host members is something that I have considered, but there are many situations (related to staff) in which elections are simply not practical, it's an idea that needs to have many flaws worked out of it.

This suggestion, or at least, a process similar to it, would be excellent for Luminary nominations, however, and I believe I will find a way to implement it into the VIP system.
Thank you for adding your weight to this pile.