Guides - why category specific?

Does it make sense to have category-specific guides or should there just be a pool of guides working across the site?

Initial thoughts for consideration:

1 - As soon as a guide is on holiday / away from the site / got the hump, crowns in that category dry up.

2 - Guide interpretation of what merits a crown is very personal. A more balanced view of nominations might see different styles / content in each category.

3 - Guides are seldom required to use their knowledge of the category to help members, it's more about their knowledge of the site - which is generic to them all.

4 - Doesn't dictate where / what any of them have to read. If one is particularly into books, he / she can still read all the book reviews if they want to.

5 - Spread the load - some categories (e.g. films) very busy. Others (e.g. audio / Hi Fi) not very busy.

Thoughts?

I like the idea of having category specific guides, but I don't think any of the guides should restrict themselves to that category alone and should be "out there" reading, rating, nominating etc. around the site but it's nice to know (from a member's point of view) that someone with an interest/knowledge in the area will bne taking a look over my reviews.

All guides should be "site experts" IMHO and any member should be able to go to any guide they choose if there's a general query or problem that requires investigation e.g. missing miles, technical issues etc.

Regarding points 1 and 2... I don't believe that should be the case as it's not just the guide's nominations that result in Crowns... if a guide goes AWOL and no Crowns are awarded, I don't believe that's because there isn't a guide. I know that a couple of Computers reviews were Crowned recently that I didn't nominate... in fact, I'm not even sure I VUed them, so things seem to be working as planned in the Computers category.

Ciao's Favourite Member wrote:

Regarding points 1 and 2... I don't believe that should be the case as it's not just the guide's nominations that result in Crowns... if a guide goes AWOL and no Crowns are awarded, I don't believe that's because there isn't a guide. I know that a couple of Computers reviews were Crowned recently that I didn't nominate... in fact, I'm not even sure I VUed them, so things seem to be working as planned in the Computers category.

Hmm. I've never been convinced about this one and it feels like it's the exception as opposed to the rule. I can think of two very specific instances where guides resigned and replacements weren't immediately found. Between guides, both categories saw zero crowns being awarded.

Well, to be fair, my observations are only based on me being a Guide since the start of June.

plipplop wrote:

Ciao's Favourite Member wrote:

Regarding points 1 and 2... I don't believe that should be the case as it's not just the guide's nominations that result in Crowns... if a guide goes AWOL and no Crowns are awarded, I don't believe that's because there isn't a guide. I know that a couple of Computers reviews were Crowned recently that I didn't nominate... in fact, I'm not even sure I VUed them, so things seem to be working as planned in the Computers category.

Hmm. I've never been convinced about this one and it feels like it's the exception as opposed to the rule. I can think of two very specific instances where guides resigned and replacements weren't immediately found. Between guides, both categories saw zero crowns being awarded.

That might have happened in the past (maybe) but it doesn't happen now...There are a fair share of non guide nominated reviews that get crowned and conversly a few guide nominated reviews that don't get crowns, the system seem to work very well...

I prefer to have a specific guide for each category, but agree that they shouldn't just stick to rating reviews in the category. When guides are absent I have noticed crowns in that particular category drying up, not really sure why this is the case as they don't have the deciding factor in who gets them although it does help if they nominate a review.
I also feel that it's important for guides to consider nominating a range of review styles, and not ones that they stick to. This I know would probably be better if there wasn't specific guides, but as I like the current system i feel this is something every guide should be open to. Lisa x

I think maybe they should have back-up guides, so if a guide goes on Holiday then the back-up could take over.

Mauri wrote:

That might have happened in the past (maybe) but it doesn't happen now...There are a fair share of non guide nominated reviews that get crowned and conversly a few guide nominated reviews that don't get crowns, the system seem to work very well...

At face value (and it is an observation based on that only) I don't agree mate.

If you cross-refer the Newest Reviews in some categories, against the Newest Rewarded Reviews in the same categories and then cross-refer against the current guide list, then guage the activity of that guide (if one exists) there are plenty of examples to the contrary. I think it's against site rules to go into specifics (so I won't) but I don't believe that the system works completely fairly across the ball.

I don't think it would be too healthy to push this kind of analysis because there could be all sorts of factors at play, of course.

(BTW I'd like to think I'm in a position not to sound like I'm speaking from sour grapes cos I do really well from crowns, so I wouldn't be motivated to complain because I feel hard done by or neffin.)

Stunt_101 wrote:

I think maybe they should have back-up guides, so if a guide goes on Holiday then the back-up could take over.

Good idea - but wouldn't be necessary if guides weren't category specific because the pool of guides would be around in some shape or form.

But if you think about it, if a guide has to read more than one catagory then its more work for them.

I think that already happens to a certain extent. I'm aware that guides, if they're going to be absent from the site for a short period of time, will ask other guides to cover for them in their absence.

I know that I used to do that ages ago, before the current set of guides assumed their positions.

The obvious flaw in the plan is when guides go AWOL and don't have the time, inclination or wherewithall to make sure that someone's covering them.

Ciao's Favourite Member wrote:

I'm aware that guides, if they're going to be absent from the site for a short period of time, will ask other guides to cover for them in their absence.

That is a good idea, except that the two people may have different opinions like, say, what makes a crownworthy review.

Two people are always going to have different ideas of what makes a good review... it doesn't matter if a current guide is covering another category as a favour for someone or if someone is brought in as a backup guide.

True. It's better to leave things as it is in my opinion. Besides, even if the review was posted ages ago you can still get a crown if you get a nomination. So if a guide goes on holiday for a week they can read the reviews when they come back.

Ciao's Favourite Member wrote:

The obvious flaw in the plan is when guides go AWOL and don't have the time, inclination or wherewithall to make sure that someone's covering them.

Personally think this is the biggest problem with the site and why there is the need for a few of things to happen in my opinion

A couple of non category guides would be useful to ensure cover is provided if Dooyoo (in this case Jared) is advised of an abscence, at the moment it is ad hoc and relies on someone posting a message on the guide forum and others offerring to cover however that just duplicates effort and in some cases might see nothing happen, personally i'm unlikely to read loads of computer games reviews if Stunt is absent as I know little about the category and have little interest reading most reviews in it.

They need to bloody publish who is actually a guide on the site, I have been for about five months and do not appear on the community page, I have no idea if a guide is not active as I'm not sure who is who at the moment other than those who are active on the forum which is probably less than half.

Dooyoo need to be more proactive at getting rid of any guide who does not do their job, the minimum for me is that this means reading everything in their category at least on a weekly basis unless they had advised of an abscence, after two weeks of no activity questions should be asked and if no response, smite and get some one else in.

If you only have general and not category guides you run the risk of some reviews not being overed at all, every category covered and a couple of general guides would work better IMHO.

I dont think it is feasible for there to be non specific guides. You can only read so much and if the guides were not assigned categories you might find some reviews would never actually get read by a guide.

I read pretty much everything on the site, except for stuff by people that dont rate back. I only read one review by a person each day so if they post more than one the second onwards will not get read.
The exception to this is if it is in my guide category. Then I will read more than one. Though I still refuse to read film reviews by people who have put no effort in and just written 5 lines or whatever.

I have nominated in other categories but for me films is what I know about so that is what I feel best able to decide what is crownworthy.

From the point of a guide not being around I have just been away for 10 days and the other guides all knew this and were watching over the film cateogry while i wasnt there. This seems to work ok as far as I can see.

Ailran wrote:

From the point of a guide not being around I have just been away for 10 days and the other guides all knew this and were watching over the film cateogry while i wasnt there. This seems to work ok as far as I can see.

Did you tell anyone on the site who might have needed the movie guide?

atticusuk wrote:

They need to bloody publish who is actually a guide on the site, I have been for about five months and do not appear on the community page, I have no idea if a guide is not active as I'm not sure who is who at the moment other than those who are active on the forum which is probably less than half.

Can't argue with that!

I've been doing my best to keep the guide's list up to date over on Optors, so if anyone has any updates, I'd be glad to hear 'em.

http://www.opinionators.co.uk/mainboard/viewtopic.php?t=2509

I know that's little help for anyone that doesn't look at Optors, but at least should help until Dooyoo can display an up-to-date Guides Page.

There is a guide list on this site as well but it is little use for the members who probably most have need of guide assistance as they are not on either site, still better than nothing.

plipplop wrote:

Ailran wrote:

From the point of a guide not being around I have just been away for 10 days and the other guides all knew this and were watching over the film cateogry while i wasnt there. This seems to work ok as far as I can see.

Did you tell anyone on the site who might have needed the movie guide?

How would he do that? Leaving a message on your about me assumes that members actually know you are the guide for movies in the first place, mind you I do think if he was a devoted guide he would send a personal message to all the members but you can't get the staff these days.

plipplop wrote:

Ailran wrote:

From the point of a guide not being around I have just been away for 10 days and the other guides all knew this and were watching over the film cateogry while i wasnt there. This seems to work ok as far as I can see.

Did you tell anyone on the site who might have needed the movie guide?

Well I put in my profile thing that I was away and the dates.. but as you told me you couldn't see that I dont quite know where it went!

atticusuk wrote:

There is a guide list on this site as well but it is little use for the members who probably most have need of guide assistance as they are not on either site, still better than nothing.

That's months out of date though. Perhaps Rachel is in a competition with Dooyoo to see who can have the most out of date guides list?

But yes, the people most likely to be in need of a Guide are not those that are aware these sites exist.

atticusuk wrote:

A couple of non category guides would be useful to ensure cover is provided.

I like that idea - a couple of Ole Gunner Solskjaer super subs (sorry about the spelling but you probably know what I mean) would be great. People you pull in in the dying moments of the game to save the day.

Could also be a good idea to have a pool of ex-guides who retired but know the ropes on standby for holiday cover.

But why should I be allowed an opinion - I just keep saying no when people ask me to guide so I don't really have any rights to comment on this.

koshkha wrote:

But why should I be allowed an opinion - I just keep saying no when people ask me to guide so I don't really have any rights to comment on this.

Why not? The guides are there for the benefit of the members primarily (at least, that's how I see it), so why shouldn't members have feedback and ideas? If there are ways I can better help other members in my role, I want to hear about them!