Polling Standards Commission (PSC)

[ravensfire]

... our standards are pretty much our laws so we should have to use too much thought here.

I think there are two elements that we can approach here.

First - the legal requirements, otherwise known as Section J.1 (Polling Standards) of the Code of Laws.

-- Polls by leaders within their area are official unless noted otherwise
-- Polls by citizens, or leaders outside their area are unofficial and do not indicate WotP
-- Description and initial post for official polls should be stated in a clear and neutral manner
-- Link to ALL relevent discussion threads
-- Options explained if not clear
-- Time frame stated, minimum 24 hours, encouraged for 3 days
-- How the leader will interpret the results stated
-- Public unless directly concering another citizen

Here, I see the PSC helping all leaders follow these rules. The template idea will be a GREAT help, especially for new leaders.

Second - guidelines. This would purely come from the citizens, and are ways to help make better decisions. For example - don't poll until the discussion has had time to run. While nothing prevents a quick poll, we can work with leaders to prevent those things from happening. Some of these guidelines can be reflected in the templates (for example, don't poll ideas that are generally regarded as less than optimal in discussions).

Finally, feedback to officials. Posting harsh comments in the poll will certainly get the point across. It also hurts the message. Likewise, posting well after a poll doesn't help either. Polite corrections either in the official thread or through a PM would probably be best. Tossing something like that in a poll thread could cause a distraction from the poll that isn't needed.

Just some thoughts ...

-- Ravensfire

 

[Donovan Zoi]

@Black_Hole:

Great template! I used it to good effect in the following 2 polls.

Wonder Poll: Mausoleum of Mausollos in Olympus

Which Government Should We Aim For?

Please look these over and tell me what you think. I am particularly interested in your opinion of my Spectrum Poll definition from the Mausoleum poll.

 

[ravensfire]

Time to bring back an idea from our recent past.

PSC - thou art reborn!

-- Ravensfire

 

[greekguy]

Time to bring back an idea from our recent past.

PSC - thou art reborn!

-- Ravensfire

I don't think this group has died. it's just there haven't been too many polls lately and most of them have been done pretty well....

but i guess a bump was needed just so some people remembered it is still here. thanks.

 

[Black_Hole]

so are there anymore comments on the following poll template?

{Question}
Sponsored by {Department Name/Title}

Options
1. {Option - Explanation if Nessecary}
2. {Option - Explanation if Nessecary}
3. {Option - Explanation if Nessecary}
4. Other
5. Abstain

{Screenshot (If Nessecary)}

Discussion

Note: This poll will be open for {hours} hours and is {public/private}.

also if we posted this as a sticky, we should also post the relevant CoL article on polling

 

[Eklektikos]

Personally I still think the world would be a better place if use of the "other" option were prohibited on pain of being forced to read every single evolution/gay marriage/George Bush is teh devil!!!11!1!1one thread ever posted in OT in their entirety, but aside from that one small, doomed gripe the template looks fine to me.

 

[DaveShack]

Other is pretty much an admission that the discussion didn't last long enough for all options to be considered. It is overused but not much you can do with volunteers (albeit elected).

 

[Eklektikos]

Which is exactly why I don't like it - I've always been in favour of a slower game with more time for discussion between turns and dead against leaving polls open to allow half-baked, relatively unscrutinised plans the opportunity to sneak their way through to legitimacy.

However, since I couldn't convince people of this over the year or so during which I was a very active demogame participant, I'm not about to pursue the issue with any great vigour now that my energies are mostly directed elsewhere. If the citizenry prefer their desicion making processes fast and half-arsed then it's no skin off my nose.

 

[Gerikes]

Which is exactly why I don't like it - I've always been in favour of a slower game with more time for discussion between turns and dead against leaving polls open to allow half-baked, relatively unscrutinised plans the opportunity to sneak their way through to legitimacy.

However, since I couldn't convince people of this over the year or so during which I was a very active demogame participant, I'm not about to pursue the issue with any great vigour now that my energies are mostly directed elsewhere. If the citizenry prefer their desicion making processes fast and half-arsed then it's no skin off my nose.

I'm in favor of an "other" option if the poll requests input about a topic that has many answers. A poll asking "In which city should we build X wonder" should not have an "other", as all cities should be listed. A poll that asks "Which city should we keep from Germany" should include all German cities. Likewise, a poll asking "Which tech should we research next" should have all the techs available to be researched. Back when the nation was polled on the building site of Priapos, however, we asked "Where should we place Priapos"? The nation was given two choices that had mainstream attention, along with an "Other". The reason this "Other" option was necessary, unlike the previous examples, is that it would be impractical to list all the tiles in the poll.

I would suggest that "Other" only be used if the poll could not practically list the entire set of options. How big would a list have to be to be "too practical"? Well, try it and see, and if the PSC determines that they would've gone the other way, a precedent has been set that will serve as better guidelines for the future.

 

[Cyc]

Which is exactly why I don't like it - I've always been in favour of a slower game with more time for discussion between turns and dead against leaving polls open to allow half-baked, relatively unscrutinised plans the opportunity to sneak their way through to legitimacy.

However, since I couldn't convince people of this over the year or so during which I was a very active demogame participant, I'm not about to pursue the issue with any great vigour now that my energies are mostly directed elsewhere. If the citizenry prefer their desicion making processes fast and half-arsed then it's no skin off my nose.

Sorry, although I value you (and DaveShack) as Demogame politicians and Leaders of our nation, I have to disagree.

DaveShack is not entirely correct when he says "Other is pretty much an admission that the discussion didn't last long enough for all options to be considered." Sometimes a topic is talked to death (as you stated you tried for a year or so...) and the desired options are still not listed in a poll. Let's face it. The reason we have the PSC is because most people can't write polls. blush: excluding anyone who reads this...). I haven't seen very many polls written this DG, so I can't really comment on them. But if people are now writing good polls all the time, it damn sure took them 7 DG's to learn.

In my experience, there have been ALOT of polls where I didn't like any of the options. What was I to do to express my opinion? Chose the lesser of evils? I don't think so. I wanted to vote, so I voted OTHER. That option holds the promise of a ctizen being able to express themselves in a poll even though they don't fall in with the majority or the minority. Isn't that our right?

I agree with you - "I've always been in favour of a slower game with more time for discussion between turns and dead against leaving polls open to allow half-baked, relatively unscrutinised plans the opportunity to sneak their way through to legitimacy." DUH... That's what I've always said, too. I sure you remember. But the option OTHER goes in our polls.

 

[DaveShack]

OK, there are instances where other is appropriate. It is especially important to have an other option in poorly written polls. I'm pretty sure that other has even won a few times.

 

[Eklektikos]

That's what I've always said, too. I sure you remember.

Sorry, but who are you again?

 

[Nobody]

Polling standards , smoling pandards. who cares i mean do you really think if all polls meet your standard that the standard poller will be happyer or the demogame will be better. and the question everyone wants to ask. What standard will the polling stanard commisson keep to. I think we need to outline very clearly a set of standards for this organisation before start stantardising others. ALso i would like to join your group and chair the Polling standards complaints procedure standardisation committe. and be minute taker for the Negro Polling standards committe. (we must look beyond colour when making our polls).

 

[Black_Hole]

Polling standards , smoling pandards. who cares i mean do you really think if all polls meet your standard that the standard poller will be happyer or the demogame will be better. and the question everyone wants to ask. What standard will the polling stanard commisson keep to. I think we need to outline very clearly a set of standards for this organisation before start stantardising others. ALso i would like to join your group and chair the Polling standards complaints procedure standardisation committe. and be minute taker for the Negro Polling standards committe. (we must look beyond colour when making our polls).

the board is currently limited to 6 members...
plus someone with your attitude on polling standards shouldn't be in the comission....

 

[Nobody]

I knew this organisation was racist, aimng your polling standards are the poor socialeconomic groups with less education and limited polling abilitys.

 

[DaveShack]

I recommend stopping before a moderator comes along and makes it official.

 

[Cyc]

Sorry, but who are you again?

You remember me. I'm the guy who would vote for you no matter what office you ran for. Good to see you again. Too bad you're occupied elsewhere.