Groundspeak Portal

Recently, I've seen examples of 'reviewer' burnout.

Is there something we can do to prevent reviewer burnout? In the IT industry, sometimes projects can drag on for years and years. One thing we do to fight burnout is to adknowledge the hard work of the team members through awards or special attention.

Bruce's "A number of ways" blog did a really great job with the waymarkers. It really gave me a second wind to go out and waymark. Is it possible to adknowledge reviewers in some similar way? Who is out there holding up the fort? I'm all for giving thanks, but the people behind the scenes are sometimes not noticed.

One other thought I had about combating burnout. What if reviewers had to renew their commitmnet to the category once a year? Once a year spend a few minutes thinking if the category reviewer job is giving them joy. We might come out of it with less reviewers, but the ones left will be there because they want to be there, and not because they are honoring a comittment made long ago that doesn't mean the same thing to them anymore.

I've seen people quit groups in large numbers. As long as the quitting doesn't cause the group to go in probation, I have no problem with it.

gt.us:

Bruce's "A number of ways" blog did a really great job with the waymarkers. It really gave me a second wind to go out and waymark. Is it possible to adknowledge reviewers in some similar way? Who is out there holding up the fort? I'm all for giving thanks, but the people behind the scenes are sometimes not noticed.

Working on that now.  Just waiting for the data dump.

Awesome, I've been hoping to see the new numbers. I'd really like to see my name pop up as a top 10 for New York. That's part of my reasoning for posting as much as I can lately. I just hope I don't lose any steam yet. I have 178 and right now 5,000 seems like its so far away. Hopefully it can get automated soon so that you don't have to feel obliged to do this for us. I know I really appreciate the extra effort. Thanx for getting something like this started BruceS. Swizzle

gt.us:

Recently, I've seen examples of 'reviewer' burnout.

 

Hello gt.us,

Could you say more about what you mean by reviewer burnout?  Is it related to abandoned categories?  Or is it about leaderes quitting groups?  Thanks for the clarification.

RitC

rakeinthecache:

gt.us:

Recently, I've seen examples of 'reviewer' burnout.

 

Hello gt.us,

Could you say more about what you mean by reviewer burnout?  Is it related to abandoned categories?  Or is it about leaderes quitting groups?  Thanks for the clarification.

RitC

I'd like to your thoughts as well.

I don't feel burned out, but I do occasionally feel annoyed.   Like, having to wade through my own waymarks in my review queue for days because other officers in that group seldom review.  Maybe it's my fault because I try to clear my queue at least daily, unless I'm away, and they get used to having someone else doing them.

It doesn't happen often, but recently I've received complaints that "reviewers aren't doing their job."   Really from someone who has unreasonable expectations of the review process.  This person likes to visit waymarks and is irritated when the coordinates are off.   Usually, there is now way for a reviewer to know if they are several blocks off, or even in the wrong part of town.  If all I see is ocean on the map for a waymark in St. Louis, then I catch it.  But, I'm not going to zoom in on a Google map to check a street address, even if there is one, most of the time.  I might do this with a new person, or if there is something else that is a red, or maybe even a yellow, flag. 

Basically, I review waymarks because it is a lot of fun!  And, the unpleasant experiences are few, and far outweighed by the enjoyment it brings.  So, I guess if it ever gets to be just a chore and no more, then I'll think about burn out. 

But, yes, I do think it can be an issue.  I guess, to be honest, there are days when I say, "I could have posted a couple new waymarks instead of reviewing those two dozen waymarks."  But, as I said, it is just another aspect of the waymarking game that I like to do.

Reviewing is actually a lot of fun for me. There are a few things that I know to avoid to keep the most enjoyable aspect of this enjoyable hobby as enjoyable as possible. But, I do acknowledge the commitments I've made in this hobby and have no problems continuing. I can see your point. I don't know if a renewal is the right answer but I don't have a better one.

Let's preface this with it's not just one person, and it's not been people who are active on forums that I have personally noticed.

I guess I could summarize the symptoms as being short with submitters.

Example one, I declined a waymark thinking I had been pretty clear in what needed to be done to resubmit. They resubmitted with an "I don't understand", and I sent a longer email. In the meantime the other officer declined with comments that I read as rude. The tone was somthing like "whats not to understand, she said to do this and you refused to do it". I see that as a person who isn't getting any joy from reviewing and is burnt out. Since I am also a reviewer in that category, my remedy is to approve and deny as quick as I can to prevent others from being exposed to a burnt out reviewer.

Second example was an approval where the approver expressed feelings of frustration in reviewing that while, honest and heartfelt, weren't appropriate. Parapharased they said You suck and your waymarks suck and I hate approving them, except in more polite words. Thats another that is burning out. My remedy there is to include kind reviewer notes, with lot's of pleases and thank-yous. I'm still working on that remedy, so I can't report results.

Some things that I would say are warning flags of reviewers who are getting burnt out... But not necessarily, just possibly..

Excesssive sending things to vote. It seems like someone sending a message.

Longer and longer waits for approvals could be life happening, but it could also be someone looking at the waymarks are needing approval icon with dread.

Just my two cents. Since there aren't people lining up to be approvers, we should treat the ones we have as best as we can.

gt.us:

In the meantime the other officer declined with comments that I read as rude.

Just curious, how can you see the comments made by another officer when they decline a waymark?  I haven't discovered this feature yet and would like to check it out.

rakeinthecache:

gt.us:

In the meantime the other officer declined with comments that I read as rude.

Just curious, how can you see the comments made by another officer when they decline a waymark?  I haven't discovered this feature yet and would like to check it out.

Go to group page.  Select the Past Activity tab.  All the approvals and declines are listed.  Click link labeled Comments.

And interestingly (or maybe surprisingly is a better word), you don't need to be an officer to see those comments - that tab is available to regular group members, too.

cache_test_dummies:

And interestingly (or maybe surprisingly is a better word), you don't need to be an officer to see those comments - that tab is available to regular group members, too.

Anyone that has been thru peer review can tell you that some anonymous comments can be rather impolite too. I see them all before a new category is released. Sometimes I wonder if I'm reading the game wrong site.

gt.us:

Let's preface this with it's not just one person, and it's not been people who are active on forums that I have personally noticed. I guess I could summarize the symptoms as being short with submitters. . . . . Some things that I would say are warning flags of reviewers who are getting burnt out... But not necessarily, just possibly.. Excesssive sending things to vote.

Yes, I would say neither of these is an indication of burnout, though they could be.  There are plenty of other reasons for them. 

Intenret/email communication is tricky.  I've been misunderstood enough through electronic media to know that some things just do not come across well.  Usually, the "tone" of a message seems harsher in pixels than it does with tone of voice and facial expression.  Still, I know that some comments get made that are "short."   Maybe the reviewer had a rough day at the office, or at home.  If it is a consistent pattern, then maybe it is just that person's style. 

I'll be the first to admit that reviewing waymarks takes a ton of patience, and sometimes it can run thin.  And, probably some people shouldn't be reviewing waymarks at all.  

Sending things for vote - well, if it is a subjective category, than that will happen more, of course.  Sometimes the category needs to be revised so the criteria are clearer to waymarkers and officers alike.  Sometimes I do feel I don't want to shoulder the burden of a decline by myself and will send something to vote so I don't have to take all the heat from a particular waymarker who I know is argumentative.

Here is what I see as officer burnout  - categories with multiple officers who are logging in but seldom reviewing waymarks so that one or two are carrying the load.  I've submitted waymarks to a lot of categories.  Maybe it's burnout; maybe there never was a committment in the first place.

I'll admit there are some days, when several categories get flooded, that I see that long list in the review queue and sigh.  Or, if there are several waymarks there from people who I know send in marginal material, I may even groan.  It takes time to write those extra notes, and get the waymarks right, but I think its worth it.  Then I can hit the forums before I tackle some more of my personal backlog . . . .

I agree with you that everything isn't always as it seems, especially with internet communication.

If we can adknowledge that there is a potential for reviewer burnout, and there are simple things we can do to adknowledge and motivate, it would be good.

If a person that doesn't need a little extra gets it, it's not going to hurt anything. But, if a person that is feeling they are being taken for granted or otherwise neglected doesn't get a little something, they are at risk for quitting.

My most recent thought, which would require some programming, would be a vacation button. My Amazon seller account has a setting I can click on if I'm going to be away from my books.

Maybe we could have a pseudo vacation button by creating a 'notification' waymark in that category and send it to group vote ourselves so that people who might not normally look at the waymark queue. Of course, you would have to instruct the readers to vote 'no'.

we do have an 'away' function. but what if you forget to turn it back on? maybe it should be timed--say, i will be out of town for 4 days, only send me visits to my waymarks. then, when the time is up, you get all notices again.

then again, the timeing system might not work, as the vote timer is broken (i got a handfull of marks that have been stuck in votes for weeks)

gt.us:

I agree with you that everything isn't always as it seems, especially with internet communication. If we can adknowledge that there is a potential for reviewer burnout, and there are simple things we can do to adknowledge and motivate, it would be good. If a person that doesn't need a little extra gets it, it's not going to hurt anything. But, if a person that is feeling they are being taken for granted or otherwise neglected doesn't get a little something, they are at risk for quitting. My most recent thought, which would require some programming, would be a vacation button. My Amazon seller account has a setting I can click on if I'm going to be away from my books. Maybe we could have a pseudo vacation button by creating a 'notification' waymark in that category and send it to group vote ourselves so that people who might not normally look at the waymark queue. Of course, you would have to instruct the readers to vote 'no'.

Nice thought.  I think I'll start another thread on Group Management Tools.  We could use a few more, and something like that would be nice.  Occasionally if I know I'm going to be away from computer access for more than a couple of days, I've posted something here on the forum.  That helps some, but reaches only a few.  Hard to communicate with too many groups at once.

How many of you officers have reviewed waymarks from airports, hotel rooms, other wi-fi hot spots or internet cafes?  I've done all at one time or another.

Just send flowers . . .

silverquill:

How many of you officers have reviewed waymarks from airports, hotel rooms, other wi-fi hot spots or internet cafes?  I've done all at one time or another.

I have reviewed  in all those places regularly (but when you spend 150+ nights a year in hotels and see a couple airports almost every week you really don't have choice ).  Yesterday I reviewed a few while sitting in my car at a rest stop. (oh I love having an broadband air card)

silverquill:

I'll admit there are some days, when several categories get flooded, that I see that long list in the review queue and sigh. 

I've been blessedly spared this experience.  All of my categories only have occasional submissions or with those that are more frequent everyone seems to shoulder the workload evenly.

I would offer to jump in as an officer on some of the other heavily trafficed categories if it makes any difference.  (although I have to admit I'm somewhat of an indulgent reviewer - only flagrantly off base submissions normally catch my eye.)

BruceS:

silverquill:

How many of you officers have reviewed waymarks from airports, hotel rooms, other wi-fi hot spots or internet cafes?  I've done all at one time or another.

I have reviewed  in all those places regularly (but when you spend 150+ nights a year in hotels and see a couple airports almost every week you really don't have choice ).  Yesterday I reviewed a few while sitting in my car at a rest stop. (oh I love having an broadband air card)

Ditto for me, although my traveling has been reduced considerably in the past year. I've reviewed a few from my car using the air card, too... while geocaching.