Referee verifications - Input needed

[Major Wood]

So the referee verification process has been a weak point on Zebra Huddle for a long time. Currently, one person has to compose multiple emails and figure out how to respond to various requests (such as missing information, figuring out if someone qualifies, etc). That one person has all the knowledge as to how things are going for certain verifications and it can be difficult to oversee that process. There is also the problem of dealing with when someone needs to take a break, it's really hard to transfer duties to someone else.

For a long time, I've recognized the need for a software solution that would ensure all the correct information is collected, automate the verification process and provide the ability to quickly check in on the status of any verification. It would also allow for several people to be involved in the process, to ensure things happen as quickly as possible. I now have the ability to write that software.

Which brings me to why I need input. There is a bunch of time hat would go into writing this software. Any verifications would be on hold until it is ready. I want to be sure that it is something the community still needs (and review what it looks like if we do still need it). In the poll above, please vote as to whether we need a confidential section (I'm not calling it referee only, because NSOs should be included as well). Nothing that was posted to the restricted area will be made public, but there is the potential that there will no longer be an area where future posts would not be there for all to see.

Please vote. If you have something you feel I need to know, feel free to post about it.

[Divide by Zero]

As someone who is not in this private forum (but probably should get around to applying since I am a referee), what kind of things are usually discussed in there and why are they not suitable for everyone to see?

[Major Wood]

The only active section in there is the Ethics section. There is also an archive of previous referee only sections, which probably aren't very relevant anymore.
Things discussed in there are often related to league drama.

[Jerry Sling-her]

If league drama can be cut down, surely that's a good thing? hehe

Don't really see any reason why ethics should be a closed subject and if cutting out verification means saving a lot of time and effort, then it might well be the best course of action.

[bjmacke]

I'll confess that I didn't pursue access to the ref-only section because I'm not a fan of exclusionary safe-spaces. However my mild interest in this thread turned to enraptured attention with the point that the Ethics area is only active section.

Have you had this discussion in that area of the board? Are there arguments from inside there that can justify it remaining private? If the people who post inside the velvet rope can come up with justified reasons for keeping it private, then it might be worth keeping. And joining.

[FNZebra]

Have you had this discussion in that area of the board? Are there arguments from inside there that can justify it remaining private? If the people who post inside the velvet rope can come up with justified reasons for keeping it private, then it might be worth keeping. And joining.

Other than everyone who once posted in that area with the knowledge and assurance that it was a safe, restricted, non-Google-spidered location, no, not really...

[Divide by Zero]

Other than everyone who once posted in that area with the knowledge and assurance that it was a safe, restricted, non-Google-spidered location, no, not really...

As I understand it everything already posted in there will remain private. This discussion only applies to new posts.

[Major Wood]

That is correct. Just as when we moved areas to the public sections of the board, posts made with the expectation that they would be seen only by a specific group of people remained archived in the private area. The posts there will not be made public. That would potentially mean that discussions had there until now could only ever be seen by those who already have access, as it would make no sense to continue verifications if there will no longer be an area to post to without being verified.

[Major Wood]

If you haven't voted in the poll yet, please do. There have only been 18 to vote so far. I'd like to make a decision based on more input than that, if possible.

[Major Wood]

So this is closed now and I have to figure out what to do based on the responses.
Questions I'm asking myself:

Does this show a large enough percentage of people that want a private section?
Is there really a good reason to keep that section open, or to just make it public?

If you think you have a compelling argument in either direction, please send it my way. In this thread, or through a PM is fine.

[Vanilla VICE]

If league drama can be cut down, surely that's a good thing? hehe

Don't really see any reason why ethics should be a closed subject and if cutting out verification means saving a lot of time and effort, then it might well be the best course of action.

Normally I would +1, but this is how I feel as well.