Day 9

Introduction

As the union is getting new members, the union is in a position to raise its membership standards.

Discussion Questions

1. Should AIN raise its junior membership standards? If you said yes, please answer 1a. If you said no, please move on to the next question.
1a. What existing criterias can we raise? What new criterias should we look for in applications?

2. Should AIN have a checklist for accepting junior members such as that of full member applications? If you said yes, please answer 2a. If you said no, please move on to the next question.
2a. How will the junior membership checklist look like? What do we need to look for?

3. Even though people are asked to validify their votes by posting their answers, there are some people who can't vote, but still vote anyways, making the member poll acceptance feature somewhat ineffective. Should we keep the poll feature in votes?

4. How can we promote AIN more to get more members? Do you think we need more members?

1. Should AIN raise its junior membership standards?
Probably.

1a. What existing criterias can we raise? What new criterias should we look for in applications?
Other than quality CJs and committed activeness, I think no further changes should be needed.

2. Should AIN have a checklist for accepting junior members such as that of full member applications?
Yes

2a. How will the junior membership checklist look like? What do we need to look for?
Basically two things: Quality and Commitment (committed activeness)

3. Even though people are asked to validify their votes by posting their answers, there are some people who can't vote, but still vote anyways, making the member poll acceptance feature somewhat ineffective. Should we keep the poll feature in votes?
The poll will be ineffective if a checklist for all applications is approved. At the moment, since members are required to validify their votes, the poll is already ineffective.

4. How can we promote AIN more to get more members? Do you think we need more members?
At the moment, I don't think we need more members. And even if we do want more members, advertisement is the only way. Why bother asking them through PMs whether they wish to join AIN? What if in the end some of these people doesn't commit themselves to be active?

1. Should AIN raise its junior membership standards?
I think so we now have plenty of members and are as active as ever I think it would be best for the union to start focusing on quality rather than quantity, although they should be flexible and should be lowered if activity/member levels fall (the mistake the COFR made).

1a. What existing criterias can we raise? What new criterias should we look for in applications?
Quality to me - and i'm sure many other members and CJ readers - is where there is a high level of custom content, realism (although some fantasy CJs have extravagent plans and layouts they still have a hint of realism realating to the background/context of the CJ) and a decent history/background - the history/background doesn't have to be realisitic but should be solid and well supported by the actual CJ and a continous storyline.
Activity is also essential but I also think we should look into whether the member has been a previous memeber of a union and how active they were there and their contributions. Perhaps also we could ask a simple question - What could you bring to the AIN? (In terms of BAT skills, photoshop, popular CJ, different CJs, sporting nations, soimlympic bidders/hosts etc.)

2. Should AIN have a checklist for accepting junior members such as that of full member applications?
Yes although for full members there should be a certain period of time before full memebership is granted (say 4 weeks or so), they should participate in 2 union events, post at least one city notebook update, be reasonably active (say at least twice a week) and have did something to contribute to the AIN (start an active dicussion, make a BAT, bid for simlympics, help photoshop a logo/banner for an event, hold an event etc.)

2a. How will the junior membership checklist look like? What do we need to look for?
See above (Question 1)

3. Even though people are asked to validify their votes by posting their answers, there are some people who can't vote, but still vote anyways, making the member poll acceptance feature somewhat ineffective. Should we keep the poll feature in votes?

Can it be clarifyed who can/can't vote? Instead we could make a points system where the memeber needs like say (EXAMPLE ONLY) 60 points to be a junior member - every member can give a score out of ten based on activity out of 3, quality out of 6 and contribution to AIN previously out of 1. An admin can add the points up after say 48 hours - discounting members who can't vote and if the total is reached memebership is granted.

4. How can we promote AIN more to get more members? Do you think we need more members?

Promotion of the union should always be ongoing - but never sound desperate or wanting - simply an open invitation for people tp come along, lurk in the forums, see what we are about and then decide if they like us or not. Personally I think PMing CJ authors always sounds a bit desperate as if we are headhunting - if someone is looking for a union they will find one. It is just getting recognised as the union everyone wants to join (hence, the tightening of application criteria). We have plenty of great, active members so I think it is time to slow down - although don't come to a complete stop in our growth and keep the AIN as prestigious as it is now.

-Neil

1. Should AIN raise its junior membership standards? If you said yes, please answer 1a. If you said no, please move on to the next question.
Maybe

2. Should AIN have a checklist for accepting junior members such as that of full member applications? If you said yes, please answer 2a. If you said no, please move on to the next question.
2a. How will the junior membership checklist look like? What do we need to look for? I agree with Aran

3. Even though people are asked to validify their votes by posting their answers, there are some people who can't vote, but still vote anyways, making the member poll acceptance feature somewhat ineffective. Should we keep the poll feature in votes? I agree with Neil

4. How can we promote AIN more to get more members? Do you think we need more members? I think we need more members (junior members applying to be a active member of AIN), but we also have members that aren't active and are just members of our Forum. Well I think we should do "publicity". like the new banner, etc. Maybe make a tread in ST, SC4 or Simsports of like "Why won't YOU join the Alliance of Independent Nations?"

- Blakeway -

I think everyone who awnser yet have good ideas, so I don't awnsered some questions because I was thinking the same as some members

I concur with a lot of people, but there's one thing I think I should say.

About the points system, I don't like it because of the complications and possible consequences it will create. I like the simplicity of the yes/no system, where people get a straight up answer. If I say, "oh you get a 2 out of 5", someone could retaliate wondering why I gave them a 2, and not a 3 or 4. If I gave them a yes or no, then its simple and prevents less confusion/problems, in my opinion.

What do you guys think?

1. Should AIN raise its junior membership standards? If you said yes, please answer 1a. If you said no, please move on to the next question.
Yes
1a. What existing criterias can we raise? What new criterias should we look for in applications?
We can make sure that nations have adequate room for an international airport, good CJ skills, quality history of their country

2. Should AIN have a checklist for accepting junior members such as that of full member applications? If you said yes, please answer 2a. If you said no, please move on to the next question.
Yes
2a. How will the junior membership checklist look like? What do we need to look for?
Good CJ Skills, Quality City Management ability, Quality History, Nation location. (for interferance w/current members) YES/NO 3/4 Yes's required to count as Yes vote.

3. Even though people are asked to validify their votes by posting their answers, there are some people who can't vote, but still vote anyways, making the member poll acceptance feature somewhat ineffective. Should we keep the poll feature in votes?
I think we should. Maybe we can figure out a way for the mods to find out if a non full member votes.

4. How can we promote AIN more to get more members? Do you think we need more members?
As possible future Head of Foreign Affairs, I suggest that every other month we focus on recruitment, and the other months we let them come to us. It seems right now we have a good number of members. Eventually, our union "earth" will have so many member countries, that it will almost be like the lost "New Eden" project. So I don't think we need to overload the recruitment, but keep an eye out for future members.
What we could do for recruitment is have the FA Minister head to ST and SC4Dev to look for possible members. To promote AIN, maybe have a Union-wide watermark to post in the bottom corner of any picture we post on an external site. I know we operate a recruitment thread on ST, so that may be covered to the fullest extent we can without overstepping boundaries or flooding the marktet. Remember, I think I speak for many of us when I say this: we are looking for quality, not quantity.

I concur with a lot of people, but there's one thing I think I should say.

About the points system, I don't like it because of the complications and possible consequences it will create. I like the simplicity of the yes/no system, where people get a straight up answer. If I say, "oh you get a 2 out of 5", someone could retaliate wondering why I gave them a 2, and not a 3 or 4. If I gave them a yes or no, then its simple and prevents less confusion/problems, in my opinion.

What do you guys think?

Then again, most people will offer constructive criticism or what they like justifying the scores.

1. Should AIN raise its junior membership standards?
Yes

1a. What existing criterias can we raise? What new criterias should we look for in applications?
I think that maybe just expect a good CJ.

2. Should AIN have a checklist for accepting junior members such as that of full member applications?
No

3. Even though people are asked to validify their votes by posting their answers, there are some people who can't vote, but still vote anyways, making the member poll acceptance feature somewhat ineffective. Should we keep the poll feature in votes?
No, we should just have people state their vote.

4. How can we promote AIN more to get more members? Do you think we need more members?
Maybe a couple more good members. Sometimes I go to ST and just PM a person that has a good CJ and invite them to AIN... maybe we could do that more often..

1. Should AIN raise its junior membership standards? If you said yes, please answer.
Yes, it is very easy to get in. Just make people give more info.

1a. What existing criterias can we raise?
Make sure the nation is organized; and get them to provide more text info.

What new criterias should we look for in applications?
Functionality in CJs; not necessarily eye-candy.

2. Should AIN have a checklist for accepting junior members such as that of full member applications? If you said yes, please answer
Yes, it helps organize.

2a. How will the junior membership checklist look like? What do we need to look for?
We need to look for a stable, functional region; not much of eye candy.

3. Even though people are asked to validify their votes by posting their answers, there are some people who can't vote, but still vote anyways, making the member poll acceptance feature somewhat ineffective. Should we keep the poll feature in votes?
Yes, but members should write their choice in a post as well.

4. How can we promote AIN more to get more members? Do you think we need more members?
I do not think we need more members; they will come. Even if they don't we are an extremely active union.

Neil wrote:

I concur with a lot of people, but there's one thing I think I should say.

About the points system, I don't like it because of the complications and possible consequences it will create. I like the simplicity of the yes/no system, where people get a straight up answer. If I say, "oh you get a 2 out of 5", someone could retaliate wondering why I gave them a 2, and not a 3 or 4. If I gave them a yes or no, then its simple and prevents less confusion/problems, in my opinion.

What do you guys think?

Then again, most people will offer constructive criticism or what they like justifying the scores.

I strongly agree with Peter about this sitaution of the point system. I too am strongly against it for it may create several problems down the road.

1. Should AIN raise its junior membership standards?

No

2. Should AIN have a checklist for accepting junior members such as that of full member applications?
No, it is a grave mistake.

3. Even though people are asked to validify their votes by posting their answers, there are some people who can't vote, but still vote anyways, making the member poll acceptance feature somewhat ineffective. Should we keep the poll feature in votes?

Yes

4. How can we promote AIN more to get more members?

We should not be making any further changes. Coming from experience of a previous union. Let's keep the oringinal formula that has help this union.

Do you think we need more members?

Members will always come, we don't need to sweat the fact that we need more members to stay active. We must importantly keep the rules of membership simple and relaxed, that's what will make us unique.

1. Should AIN raise its junior membership standards?

No.

2. Should AIN have a checklist for accepting junior members such as that of full member applications?

No.

3. Even though people are asked to validate their votes by posting their answers, there are some people who can't vote, but still vote anyway, making the member poll acceptance feature somewhat ineffective. Should we keep the poll feature in votes?

Yes.

4. How can we promote AIN more to get more members?

I think the existing interactions with SimSports is doing its job. Perhaps also advertising on Simtropolis would also be advantageous, provided they let us.

Do you think we need more members?

The more the merrier.

1. Should AIN raise its junior membership standards?yes
1a. What existing criterias can we raise? Nothing. What new criterias should we look for in applications? The CJ/MD activity. The new member should not left their CJ/MD more than 5 weeks.

2. Should AIN have a checklist for accepting junior members such as that of full member applications? No

3. Even though people are asked to validify their votes by posting their answers, there are some people who can't vote, but still vote anyways, making the member poll acceptance feature somewhat ineffective. Should we keep the poll feature in votes? I don't think so.

4. How can we promote AIN more to get more members? Make a link on signature about AIN. Do you think we need more members? Maybe.

1. Should AIN raise its junior membership standards? If you said yes, please answer 1a. If you said no, please move on to the next question.
1a. What existing criterias can we raise? What new criterias should we look for in applications?

No.

2. Should AIN have a checklist for accepting junior members such as that of full member applications? If you said yes, please answer 2a. If you said no, please move on to the next question.
2a. How will the junior membership checklist look like? What do we need to look for?

No.

3. Even though people are asked to validify their votes by posting their answers, there are some people who can't vote, but still vote anyways, making the member poll acceptance feature somewhat ineffective. Should we keep the poll feature in votes?

Yes - is there a feature we can introduce to limit the poll to Admins, Jr Members, Full Members etc?

4. How can we promote AIN more to get more members? Do you think we need more members?

Of course we should have as many members as possible - we can advertise on Simtropolis/SC4Devotion and other Simcity sites.
Obviously the site will grow a lot more when we have our own site, ain.com.

is the AIN broken? Why do we need to change anything... yes there are some area where we can be a little more organized. I think whoever wants to join can join. thats my personal opinion. At the same time, Why not strive to be the best? On those facets I believe that Neil hit the nail on the head with every one of his points. You could tell he put a lot of thought into his answers

1. Should AIN raise its junior membership standards? If you said yes, please answer 1a. If you said no, please move on to the next question.
Yes. Like Neil said we need to focus on quality rather than quanity

2. Should AIN have a checklist for accepting junior members such as that of full member applications? If you said yes, please answer 2a. If you said no, please move on to the next question.
Yes. Similar to the Full Membership checklist

3. Even though people are asked to validify their votes by posting their answers, there are some people who can't vote, but still vote anyways, making the member poll acceptance feature somewhat ineffective. Should we keep the poll feature in votes?
Yes. You must post your vote. Poll is just an easy way to figure out the out come. No validated votes wont count

4. How can we promote AIN more to get more members? Do you think we need more members?
Inviting people from ST and such. And for more members. I dont see a problem with it. Im willing to welcome in new people