Suggestions for Change [Archive]

View Full Version : Suggestions for Change

Nixt

23-10-2010, 02:57 PM

Okay so I'll start with saying that I know parts / versions of these suggestions may already be happening / being put into place but my suggestions take that on board and create what I believe would be more effective in terms of what I think Habbox needs.

Before I start though some kudos is needed as it seems certain things are beginning to pick up and there are things happening, notably for Halloween, and that's great. HxL listeners seem to be on the up, although nowhere near as high as they could be, it's obviously seeing some improvement.

However I personally think that Habbox is far too complicated and since the merge and Habbox's slight decline in client popularity, this is even more the case. Habbox is too bureaucratic for what it is right now and I think this needs cutting down on considerably so things can get better and better. I'm not suggesting Habbox is doomed for inevitable failure, and I do think it will continue to progress (notably when V6 is introduced) however I do think this progress could have more of an impact and happen a lot faster if some controversial but necessary changes are made notably to management and department structure.

Habbox.com - Okay so Jake highlighted this in his thread I think and it's something I've said a few times in Manager's Meetings, Habbox.com should be the core of Habbox and everything should flow off of that. HxF itself can only be popular if you have a steady stream of members and if you look at any Habbo fansite the ones with the most popular forums are the ones with the most popular sites. Trying to advertise a forum as a sole fansite (note: HabboForum) is largely difficult and unsuccessful, even with the help of Habbo Staff apparently.

We have V6 coming, that's the first key change. However I think the overall site management needs overhauling along with its introduction. I personally think the content department and position of content AGM (sorry Alkaz) is largely obsolete. Myke and Martin largely manage their departments very well and as far as I can remember both departments are largely self sufficient. This leaves the Content AGM as pretty much, the Content Manager and little else. I personally suggest dissolving the current content department upon V6 and doing the following:

Site Manager - Manages the site (duh!) in that he or she has a knowledge of the coding required to maintain it, and the technical ability to fix any bugs that may occur. Furthermore the Site Manager will be in charge of maintaining and tending to content. In all honesty (no offence to Content Designers) it's a job that doesn't require much and once the guides and so on are in place they require very little work. If SPAG is right first time what is there to do? Most of the things on the site will update manually, it just requires someone with a knowledge of how it all ticks (I would say HotelUser for this job, on the basis he is or at least was single handedly coding the thing, if not - James). It's nothing a Site Manager shouldn't be able to handle alone, but in the event he can't...

Department Managers - Have site access to edit pages relevant to their departments. For example the HxHD Manager can help maintain the guides. It makes sense to extend their responsibility to ensuring the SITE is updated and maintained because they work for Habbox.com and therefore should be working to make sure it is a success.

Okay so this is just a brief overview really. It would require some technical details being fine tuned but I really do think the content team is pretty much obsolete and this would be a much more sensible way of keeping the site well maintained and up together. It also means projects such as V6 can move much faster and efficiently than it has done already.

The Site Manager would also ensure that news, rares and graphics are up to a proper standard but their focus would be on making sure this was all to a relevant standard. They are not a manager's manager, as it were (as AGMs are) and they are not concerned with the staffing of news / graphics / rares (more on this later). They will also be in charge of ensuring the radio is working technically, as HxL will merge into Hx.

General Management - In light of the above changes you know already that I think the Content AGM role should go. I also think changes should be made to the roles of GM, AGM (Staff) and AGM (Community). In doing this, changes at Dept Management level are inevitable.

General Manager - In all honesty, have a look at what the General Manager actually does (this isn't specifically aimed at Matt, btw, it is the role I am talking about). Okay the General Manager does a lot, that is true, so I guess the question is what does the role of General Manager actually do that the other layers of Management don't do already? It's essentially another layer of pointless bureaucracy and approval, and it has become a role that essentially restricts what Matt can really do. Therefore...

The General Manager should essentially become the Manager's Manager. The dissolution of AGMs (more next) will mean this role can be transferred to him. He or she is, naturally, concerned with the goings on within each department but now becomes the Manager of the Department Managers. His or her role becomes focused on whether or not they are meeting the standards they should be, responding to complaints about them and ensuring each department is running at full capacity.

Jin needs to relinquish all or most of his power to the GM, allowing them to make decisions on the ground as and when necessary.

Assistant General Manager (Staff) - The role that I loved irl, no denying that, but I will happily admit I exceeded my mandate here and I think it's impossible not to. Whether you think I was treading on toes or doing good for Habbox the fact is that anyone being promoted to "Assistant General Manager" isn't going to take the role on the sole basis of editing staff permissions. Ultimately the role is obsolete then as apparently this is all they should be doing, other than dealing with staff complaints which will now be covered by the GM at Dept Manager level and by Department Managers in regard to other things (below). Adding or removing staff permissions becomes the role of the (Assistant) Forum Manager.

So what happens to staff discipline, omg!?!?! Well simple really, in regard to the forum, the Moderators are able to infract Staff. Where a member of staff reaches x fixed amount of infractions they lose their job. It seems to make sense that this should be at the caution level, because the initiation of a caution would then remove their access to the staff forums and prevent any problems associated with delayed communication (if it was below the individual would know they were going to be fired before they were). If not a system could easily be implemented to properly manage it.

Other discipline (aka on Habbo) is explained below.

AGM (Community) - I essentially think this role should stay, as it is very important. This role however will remain embodied in the position of Deputy General Manager or if you'd prefer. The Deputy General Manager will primarily focus on Community issues. This isn't limited to the community departments however, it is his or her responsibility to ensure that all departments are working together to ensure the community are well catered. This will involve changing from the predominant one event an hour mindset to the Deputy GM coordinating department managers into working together for larger scale events and competitions that operate as a singular entity. Naturally the Deputy GM will be there to step in on other roles if the General Manager goes away or becomes otherwise indisposed.

Departments and their Management - Inevitably the Department Management structure and responsibility will have to change slightly in this instance. The GM has absorbed some of the AGM duties but other duties will have to be devolved down. Dissolving an unnecessary layer of bureaucracy and increasing communication between everyone.

Events and Comps - The dreaded merge. But yes, looking at it now it makes sense. You want to start looking at events on a grander scale, creating campaigns and projects that include everybody and everything. These two departments are closely linked so the two are brought together and can then create Forum Events (competitions) and Habbo events. It does actually make sense.

HxHD - Reduce the HxHD Staff Team to around five dedicated individuals who are community minded - i.e. they chat and integrate with the community and don't just offer help to random Habbos(and one manager), all with rights. Allow Department Managers access to the desk via the staff entrance (no rights). This encourages Managers to spend time on Habbo, increases the use of HxHD and forces HxHD Staff to be increasingly dedicated and HxHD Management to choose only the most dedicated and hard working individuals.

Managers and Discipline - On Habbo discipline and general attitude of staff becomes the responsibility of their managers (as it should be) rather than that of the now defunct AGM (Staff). Department Managers can also reply to complaints about their departments on a smaller scale. Obviously the GM responds to complaints on a larger scale and complaints about managers.

Events - Events are planned by the team of Managers. The Event Organisers then execute this. The Event Manager coordinates the planning but all managers must get involved and explain how they will contribute somehow, or just generally help with planning. The Deputy GM will chair and mediate these discussions and planning.

-----

Right so there is a lot to read and it sounds complicated, but imo it would make things a lot simpler. Most people will disagree and for some good reasons, but ultimately I think this would benefit Habbox no end. Although I highly doubt it will happen and that's fair enough because it's not my decision to make, I thought I'd throw my ideas out there anyway just to see what people think.

Inseriousity.

23-10-2010, 03:06 PM

Nixt

23-10-2010, 03:12 PM

Josh

23-10-2010, 03:16 PM

I agree and it'd be nice to see some positive change which will help. However, when I read it, I thought I was reading through a game suggestion that will never happen and it's sad that's what I think.

Inseriousity.

23-10-2010, 03:21 PM

Actually competitions department doesn't bother with current members, our competitions 'target audience' has always been new members hence our slightly-irritating advertising campaigns as you yourself noted when you wrote our department report. If current members want to join in then hooray! I think furni should come from Habbox anyway, you don't really need to merge the two to achieve that. Of course, I agree with quality not quantity however you're saying that giving people more work will increase quality? I highly doubt that.

The reason to keep them seperate is that is much simpler with the current system so that the balance is kept right rather than the inequalities and therefore ineffiency (I have no idea how you think merging them will make them more efficient). It also gives staff a choice. Events staff might not want to do competitions and competitions staff might not want to do events and I certainly wouldn't want to lose staff because of that lack of choice, therefore making applications for said merged department more difficult and therefore less quality.

Minstrels

23-10-2010, 03:22 PM

In my opinion management should be run in the style of a football club such as Real Madrid, the system of a president voted by the fans is a good one and stops management hiring friends. For example if the forum manager was going to leave they would draw up a list of people they believe would be suitable replacements (this could include anyone from assistant forum manager to someone such as Robbie with no current input to HxF but who could do a job).

The people on this list would then do a mini-campaign, showing what they could offer to the role and what they would plan to do with the forum. Nothing major, a simple thread bullet pointing what they will do. A poll would then be created (public and with voters names showing). Winner of the poll would then get the role.

After six months this role would then be reviewed by the forum to see if the users feel the person has stuck by what they say and haven't got the role on a pack of lies, this review could happen before six months if it's considered an emergency. Should the users feel the person is doing a good job, they stay. If not? Well they'd be sacked off and the previous list of people would do another mini campaign of what they would bring however this poll would now be missing one person compared to the original.

This would allow for a user not recommended by the old management (before the failed one who the forum got rid of for lying) to recommend themselves to be put on the poll. If only one spot on the poll was available and two people applied then they would have a mini campaign and a mini poll between them to see who the users feel to be the better candidate for the main poll. This would allow users such as Robbie who management may not like for whatever reason to have a fair shot at getting the job. It would also prevent management from hiring friends as it's the forum users selecting who they want.

It's too easy for the management to get selected for whatever reason when other people could probably do a better job. It would stop management from slacking as they'd need to be at the top of the game for the majority of the time.

Now I cba typing any more because I need to get ready to get drunkened but you get the idea and HxF will probably hate it because it's "too dangerous". But it stops backstabbing, friends being hired, forum blaming management as they're the ones who elected them etc. Did I read the OP? No, I'll read it later, sorry I'm ignorant but I cba making my own thread for that lil post.

Nixt

23-10-2010, 03:27 PM

Efficiency would be easily achieved by reducing the number of overall competitions and twinning competitions with events forum and site based. I'm not talking about merging the two and have you all doing exactly the same as you are doing now, because that would be inefficient and pointless. Rather than repeated competitions with a little opener and asking members to post their response / PM Habbox Comps, it would increase communication and cooperation between departments and allow for an increase in Habbox events across the board. It's a key way of breaking down a barrier than it is in my opinion pointless. Within the department you could have people who specialise in either forum or habbo events, and if anyone objected it wouldn't be very difficult to find more people willing. I see you reasoning against it but I personally think that it's all a bit old fashioned and real exposure and achievement for both competitions and events could be achieved by having the two work together intrinsically (i.e. in the form of a merger) and create bigger, better campaigns that are much more effective at drawing in and retaining new members to Habbox.com and the forum. I personally could see that working, you cannot. I guess it's a case of agree to disagree.

EDIT: @ Spuds. That most certainly wouldn't stop ********, backstabbing or hiring of friends etc? It would increase it. Members of Habbox are not professional individuals who have managerial experience. You become a manager after spending time in the positions that you are expected to manage. Having any randomer doing it would be detrimental and the current bias (not that I believe there is huge amounts) would be even worse.

Josh

23-10-2010, 03:28 PM

If not a "merger" for competitions and events, they could at least cooperate a little more. They seem really distant etc.

Inseriousity.

23-10-2010, 03:33 PM

Robbie

23-10-2010, 03:51 PM

someone such as Robbie

Love you too.

Conservative,

23-10-2010, 03:52 PM

Agree with every word...but here's a suggestion...

AGM (Community) - I essentially think this role should stay, as it is very important. This role however will remain embodied in the position of Deputy General Manager or if you'd prefer. The Deputy General Manager will primarily focus on Community issues. This isn't limited to the community departments however, it is his or her responsibility to ensure that all departments are working together to ensure the community are well catered. This will involve changing from the predominant one event an hour mindset to the Deputy GM coordinating department managers into working together for larger scale events and competitions that operate as a singular entity. Naturally the Deputy GM will be there to step in on other roles if the General Manager goes away or becomes otherwise indisposed.

How about we call this the "Community Manager" :O OMG NO WAY.

Nixt

23-10-2010, 05:06 PM

If you're going to seperate them when you merge them, it's rather pointless. The two can still work together and have real exposure and achievement, communication and co-operation, you don't really need a merger to achieve that. It's not old fashioned to leave something as it is if it's successful and figures would suggest to me that the competitions department is currently on a high. So yes, it does look like a case of agree to disagree.

edit: oh forgot to mention that there's a lot of admin work that goes into comps (giving out prizes etc).

I'm not suggesting separating them in merging them, all staff would be expected to offer different aspects and some could specialise in forum based events if they chose to do so. The two can still work together and achieve all of that, yes, but what better way to break down the barriers and create a unified team that works together than merging the two?

I think I may have explained it poorly. Essentially what I am saying is bring the two together to create almost a publicity department, or even if you like, a 'community' department. The role of said department would be providing entertainment for our followers on both the forum and Habbo and also, importantly, creating event campaigns that attract new users from the client incorporating both competitions and events. It's role is publicity and community satisfaction, I see no reason why this could not come from a singular department that creates both competitions and events as part of the job role. In fact, event campaigns that spread across the site, the forum, the radio and Habbo are always hugely successful and attract and entertain more people than sole competitions or events. It also increases activity across all Habbox projects.

I won't deny that the competitions department is doing well, and I have always commended you and Alex for your work which I think is excellent, however I think that this work could become even better if a more combined focus of events and competitions was used. Something that has been discussed over and over and on the whole failed without very tight supervision, so improving cooperation between departments may have to take a more drastic approach.

Love you too.

I did miss you out but you would be another perfect candidate for the role of Site Manager if it were to be introduced.

Agree with every word...but here's a suggestion...

How about we call this the "Community Manager" :O OMG NO WAY.

Yes I did think that, it wouldn't be a problem. But that's essentially creating another layer of management I'd want to avoid. The idea of the Deputy GM is that he or she would share the role of the GM but his or her primary focus would be the community. It's a title that could be used though.

Sarah

23-10-2010, 06:59 PM

Department Managers - Have site access to edit pages relevant to their departments. For example the HxHD Manager can help maintain the guides. It makes sense to extend their responsibility to ensuring the SITE is updated and maintained because they work for Habbox.com and therefore should be working to make sure it is a success.

I always found it a bit weird why don't the people who are meant to be giving advice on the hotel never wrote the advice on the website - surely they would be best qualified? That saying I know (at least one: Skizzling) is an ex-HxHD staff member and is qualified to write advice on Habbo Issues. (by advice I mean write the content e.g Tips and tricks and history of Habbo etc).

General Manager - In all honesty, have a look at what the General Manager actually does (this isn't specifically aimed at Matt, btw, it is the role I am talking about). Okay the General Manager does a lot, that is true, so I guess the question is what does the role of General Manager actually do that the other layers of Management don't do already? It's essentially another layer of pointless bureaucracy and approval, and it has become a role that essentially restricts what Matt can really do. Therefore...

Jin needs to relinquish all or most of his power to the GM, allowing them to make decisions on the ground as and when necessary.

I think Jin explained the reasons for not giving people full access to things (the whole >Max< issue who was a trusted member of staff (i think?) and then well did what he did). When Jin is here I don't see there being a problem and he's back now and I know its easy to contact him if there is problems. Maybe when he goes away the GM should get more power but I dunno.

Assistant General Manager (Staff) - The role that I loved irl, no denying that, but I will happily admit I exceeded my mandate here and I think it's impossible not to. Whether you think I was treading on toes or doing good for Habbox the fact is that anyone being promoted to "Assistant General Manager" isn't going to take the role on the sole basis of editing staff permissions. Ultimately the role is obsolete then as apparently this is all they should be doing, other than dealing with staff complaints which will now be covered by the GM at Dept Manager level and by Department Managers in regard to other things (below). Adding or removing staff permissions becomes the role of the (Assistant) Forum Manager. So what happens to staff discipline, omg!?!?! Well simple really, in regard to the forum, the Moderators are able to infract Staff. Where a member of staff reaches x fixed amount of infractions they lose their job. It seems to make sense that this should be at the caution level, because the initiation of a caution would then remove their access to the staff forums and prevent any problems associated with delayed communication (if it was below the individual would know they were going to be fired before they were). If not a system could easily be implemented to properly manage it.

As much as I feel that the Moderators, Jamesy and myself could deal with issues regarding with staff - I still don't like the idea. The idea that a normal member over staff (but is a moderator) has power over another one seems well crazy to me. It would make them seem superior and higher than other member's of staff and it's something I don't like. I don't think me or Jamesy have the mandate to have authority over members of staff who don't belong to our department. I think the current system is much more fairer.

Events and Comps - The dreaded merge. But yes, looking at it now it makes sense. You want to start looking at events on a grander scale, creating campaigns and projects that include everybody and everything. These two departments are closely linked so the two are brought together and can then create Forum Events (competitions) and Habbo events. It does actually make sense.

Not that keen to be honest, Member's of staff (E.G Yupt) can not access the hotel and during the week but can access the forum meaning he is able to his competitions but doesn't have to be seen on the hotel. I think there should maybe be some involvement between them and Events but then again I think there should be with all departments.

HxHD - Reduce the HxHD Staff Team to around five dedicated individuals who are community minded - i.e. they chat and integrate with the community and don't just offer help to random Habbos(and one manager), all with rights. Allow Department Managers access to the desk via the staff entrance (no rights). This encourages Managers to spend time on Habbo, increases the use of HxHD and forces HxHD Staff to be increasingly dedicated and HxHD Management to choose only the most dedicated and hard working individuals.

YES!! If people were to ever stumble into HxHD and ask a question about the forum (not that the HxHD staff aren't qualified enough) they will sometimes direct them to me to answer the question - I don't see any harm in allow us behind the bar to answer questions. Yes we do have the takeover (and i'm sure other departments could do this too) but I think its more likely for users to stumble in than on a specific date.

Events - Events are planned by the team of Managers. The Event Organisers then execute this. The Event Manager coordinates the planning but all managers must get involved and explain how they will contribute somehow, or just generally help with planning. The Deputy GM will chair and mediate these discussions and planning.

This already happens doesn't it? I mean regarding the forum and halloween we discussed them with Roxy on what we should do etc - I presume she does the same with other departments? I think the events team should focus on providing top quality events on the hotel daily.

Inseriousity.

23-10-2010, 07:10 PM

I'm not suggesting separating them in merging them, all staff would be expected to offer different aspects and some could specialise in forum based events if they chose to do so. The two can still work together and achieve all of that, yes, but what better way to break down the barriers and create a unified team that works together than merging the two?

I think I may have explained it poorly. Essentially what I am saying is bring the two together to create almost a publicity department, or even if you like, a 'community' department. The role of said department would be providing entertainment for our followers on both the forum and Habbo and also, importantly, creating event campaigns that attract new users from the client incorporating both competitions and events. It's role is publicity and community satisfaction, I see no reason why this could not come from a singular department that creates both competitions and events as part of the job role. In fact, event campaigns that spread across the site, the forum, the radio and Habbo are always hugely successful and attract and entertain more people than sole competitions or events. It also increases activity across all Habbox projects.

Sure big event campaigns spread across the site etc are successful without the merging of the departments. You can easily achieve that without merging the two. HxSS is probably the easiest example, the time when managers really come together to make it the best it can be and for the past 4 (or is it 5?), the events manager, the competitions manager and the HabboxLive manager in particular all work together to provide that. Merging them together won't change that. There was, however, the idea once that competitions department could be disbanded and all departments do some to make up, which would of course dilute that workload down that would be unceremoniously placed on the 'community manager' (with the admin; prize giving, Habbox today, updating events calendar, updating competitions page, PMing all the winners etc). So if general management ever wanted to do that then I'd probably be more supportive of that than a merge of events + comps, where the workload would be too high and disproportionate to what a voluntary job should be.

Nixt

23-10-2010, 07:18 PM

I always found it a bit weird why don't the people who are meant to be giving advice on the hotel never wrote the advice on the website - surely they would be best qualified? That saying I know (at least one: Skizzling) is an ex-HxHD staff member and is qualified to write advice on Habbo Issues.

It's not really to say the people on there are under qualified, because I am sure they all have relevant knowledge, but it doesn't make sense to have a team of individuals occasionally making minor edits (such as SPAG) to what are essentially fixed articles when this could be maintained by department managers with the relevant knowledge. The key reasons for the changes suggested are to cut down unnecessary levels of staff and management - the content designers are imo largely unneeded when their roles could be easily fulfilled by other people who are equally capable.

I think Jin explained the reasons for not giving people full access to things (the whole >Max< issue who was a trusted member of staff (i think?) and then well did what he did). When Jin is here I don't see there being a problem and he's back now and I know its easy to contact him if there is problems. Maybe when he goes away the GM should get more power but I dunno.

a) If Jin can't trust Matt - of all people - with access, then there are issues. However it's not so much administrative access I am talking about;
b) I am talking about giving him the power to make decisions, such as the ones I have suggested, without having to wait around. Giving him the power to really get going with V6, for example, without having to worry that Jin will say no, no and no. Naturally Jin will have input and be involved in decision making, I just think the relationship is currently, Jin says something - it happens. It should be Jin suggests something, it might happen. People shouldn't be afraid to contest him. It should also be, Matt / Management suggest something, Jin doesn't point blank refuse unless he immerses himself in the community more and understands Habbox more as it is today. Just my opinion, but I know a lot of other people share it from members to management, up until maybe recently, Jin isn't fully aware of what Habbox truly needs because of his absence.
c) It's more about the changing role than anything else. Whether or not Jin does relinquish decision making power, the role could still change for the better.

As much as I feel that the Moderators, Jamesy and myself could deal with issues regarding with staff - I still don't like the idea. The idea that a normal member over staff (but is a moderator) has power over another one seems well crazy to me. It would make them seem superior and higher than other member's of staff and it's something I don't like. I don't think me or Jamesy have the mandate to have authority over members of staff who don't belong to our department. I think the current system is much more fairer.

Key issue here - why are staff treated differently to members? Why segregate staff even more than they already are? It's not about giving a member of staff more authority or more power, it's about making everyone equal and everything fair. Having staff treated differently by a different person is actual more unfair. It's not an authority thing, if Moderators are perfectly capable of doing it I see no reason why they shouldn't.

Not that keen to be honest, Member's of staff (E.G Yupt) can not access the hotel and during the week but can access the forum meaning he is able to his competitions but doesn't have to be seen on the hotel. I think there should maybe be some involvement between them and Events but then again I think there should be with all departments.

No offence but your point is essentially moot, there are plenty of arguments against it, but staff not being able to access the client isn't one of them:
a) He could still immerse himself in the planning of events and execution of the forum side of events and campaigns.
b) Plenty of staff who have their jobs based on Habbo take a week off where they cannot access the hotel. It's only a week.
c) If any member of Habbox Staff, apart from maybe those in Moderation / Graphics / Site, are unable to access the hotel for extended period of time (i.e. more than three weeks), I would question why they are staff in the first place. After all this is a Habbo fansite, and focus should be on Habbo. This is something else that needs to improve on a separate note - staff presence on the client.

YES!! If people were to ever stumble into HxHD and ask a question about the forum (not that the HxHD staff aren't qualified enough) they will sometimes direct them to me to answer the question - I don't see any harm in allow us behind the bar to answer questions. Yes we do have the takeover (and i'm sure other departments could do this too) but I think its more likely for users to stumble in than on a specific date.

Woo I am glad we agree on something ;D!

This already happens doesn't it? I mean regarding the forum and halloween we discussed them with Roxy on what we should do etc - I presume she does the same with other departments? I think the events team should focus on providing top quality events on the hotel daily.

To an extent, yes, although nowhere near enough. This suggestion is more in line with the other changes suggested - they would have to happen first: i.e. the focus on campaigns rather than just individualistic competitions or events. Basically what Habbo do - all of their individuals competitions and events tend to be shaped around an overall campaign.

Inseriousity.

23-10-2010, 07:27 PM

Nixt

23-10-2010, 07:31 PM

I remember you being a fan of big campaigns but I think they're successful because they're big. That may sound weird but if you were doing 12 big campaigns a year (one every month) then after a while, they're no longer big, the novelty wears off and they become repetitive whereas if they come 4-6 times a year, they're a lot more interesting.

PS. Yupt is still staff even though his client time is more limited than most because he's good.

I still think that they tend to have more success and exposure than small, individualistic competitions. I can see what you're saying but it doesn't seem to affect Habbo and I am not necessarily talking huge things like HxSS every couple of weeks, I am talking about having an overall theme or story arc as it were so as to link in events and competitions and to an extent other departments, thus breaking down the barriers that are currently present, and giving users and new visitors something a little more exciting they can follow.

Of course I see that you might think overall big campaigns may lack novelty once they become often but if they are kept original and varied I can't see the harm.

P.S. I wasn't for one second saying that Yupt shouldn't be staff and my comments about limited client access were not aimed at him, as I see him on the client an adequate amount. My main point was explaining why I didn't think Sarah's argument was that relevant to the point I was trying to make!

Nuxty

23-10-2010, 07:52 PM

Yes Garion! I actually agree with everything you're saying there. I think as well that if these things were put into place practically they'd become a lot clearer. I think it would be so much easier if the forum team gave out forum permissions. In response to what Sarah said it wouldn't really involve the moderators xD So it would just be something else for you and James to do as Forum Management.

I also feel that Roxy's role of AGM (Community) would be great as Deputy GM. In my opinion it would make more sense to have the two of them running things (GM & DGM) - Roxy is amazing in all that she does now and would be excellent for that position.

Site Manager would be good as well and I agree that more access needs to be given to the technicians and content team as well if we wait on Jin all the time then nothing will be done.

I can see you've thought it all through Garion and I really do think if these changes were made things would improve. A lot. x

Inseriousity.

23-10-2010, 08:11 PM

I still think that they tend to have more success and exposure than small, individualistic competitions. I can see what you're saying but it doesn't seem to affect Habbo and I am not necessarily talking huge things like HxSS every couple of weeks, I am talking about having an overall theme or story arc as it were so as to link in events and competitions and to an extent other departments, thus breaking down the barriers that are currently present, and giving users and new visitors something a little more exciting they can follow.

Of course I see that you might think overall big campaigns may lack novelty once they become often but if they are kept original and varied I can't see the harm.

P.S. I wasn't for one second saying that Yupt shouldn't be staff and my comments about limited client access were not aimed at him, as I see him on the client an adequate amount. My main point was explaining why I didn't think Sarah's argument was that relevant to the point I was trying to make!

And you can do them without merging them. HxSS being the perfect example at how comps + events departments can use a theme (summer) and turn it into a success but you don't need to merge them to do that. We could easily do that more often and keep the departments seperate. Maybe it'd be an idea to have smaller management meetings. If using the current system, for example, you could have 'community' manager meetings led by roxy to organise things like this then use the every-manager meetings to do the rest or just the simple thing of more threads in the management forum which I personally think are more effective than meetings.

However, I think you're underestimating the value of individual competitions. Halfway through HxSS, new members come and hooray that's brill but chances of them winning are slim because bigger picture is that they've arrived too late whereas with individual competitions, it doesn't matter when you arrive, you can enter them at your leisure.

nvrspk4

23-10-2010, 10:45 PM

Some good points brought up here.

First, I understand and agree with most of your points on AGM Content, and I'm basically saying what you said but with slight modifications, additions, whatever. In my opinion, keep the position, but possibly make it AGM (Site). This person must have the ability to code, and to actually fix things on the site. It should be a job requirement. AGM (Site)s must must must be able to fix things when Habbox breaks.

We could possible keep the content jobs with AGM (Site), but regardless, the above should apply. Whether or not we should keep content stuff with site will be discussed later.

AGM community needs to be on Habbo a lot. They are one of two big point-people on Habbo, the other being the GM. It's actually possible that the AGM has to be even more visible, because the GM gets a little automatic visibility without even going on the site.

AGM Staff is honestly, by default, second in command. The staff job is time consuming, but it's not an entire mandate. For that reason, an AGM staff takes care of all the little things, and the big things. For example, as AGM staff I spearheaded a lot of special events, and at times worked with my other two AGMs to solve problems in specific departments when they related to staffing issues. Now, there is the option here that the AGM (Staff) could absorb the role of managing the content departments (apart from the actual Content Department which would fall under AGM (Site)), especially since there are fewer.

Also, as far as the GM, I think the AGMs need to become MUCH more involved in the running of departments, which allows the GM to be much LESS involved. This isn't a mistake, just a change, and I speak from personal experience. The two options are to be hands-off but then the GM and AGM have to both be a *little* involved, and step in when things go off-track. If the AGM is *really* involved, the GM can use them as point person and have a lot more time to do other things BUT this requires a VERY cohesive General Management team.

Just some thoughts :)

HotelUser

24-10-2010, 06:17 AM

I'm only commenting on two elements of what's been suggested here because I just really don't know enough about what else has been said to be of any use.

HxHD - I think reducing the staff limit and allowing department managers behind the bar wouldn't be beneficial in the long run for HxHD. I'm sure the majority of people reading this will assume I have a bias of sorts because of my long and lengthy affair with HxHD and there might be a hint of truth to that but regardless this is what I think. There is absolutely nothing stopping staff and managers of other departments from visiting HxHD on a regular basis without being allowed to go behind the bar. If our dearest Timmy went into the Help Desk and inquired as to how reputation works on the forum a moderator would be just as able to answer the question infront of the bar as they would behind it.

And then there's the sort of tradition that follows the Help Desk. It is, at heart, a Help Desk and one of the only and oldest Help Desks on Habbo in that when a user applies to the department they're quizzed about Habbo and are expected to have a reasonably experienced Habbo history as well as a helpful oriented mindset. If we eliminated this and allowed for department managers to go behind the bar these traditions would fade and we would be have a generic hangout like every other fansite. If the Help Desk wasn't popular a serious overhaul would be underway, I'm sure. But that's not the case. The Help Desk is quite popular at the moment and we're still getting a good volume of applicants (77 at present, which is a surplus of 20 from about a year ago). What I am interested in right now is utilizing how we do have a group of staff who are quite eager to get down and dirty for Habbox. There's lots of promotions the department can do as a Help Desk with a dedicated team of staff that we couldn't do as a hangout with the staff occupants scattered across numerous departments. I know Jordan is very enthusiastic about desk events and HxHD endorsement and I think in coherence with Roxy and the department's staff things are going to take off quite nicely.

Website - The first thing that comes to mind is a quote of Steve Jobs saying, "You've baked a nice cake, but you've used mud for icing." (and his version was more colourful). We have a team of content designers, coders, graphics designers so what on Earth has been going on in the past 9 months when it was originally decided that the site would be redone? I'm really not sure, but discussing that further seems very trivial to me. Producing a new website is a huge priority right now for the site departments because we all realize that presently the site is an eye sour being kept together with tape. Pardon the Twilight pun but the zombie months of site development are now officially in the past. A handful of work on the latest revision of Habbox.com has already been done and more is currently underway. Jin has set down a deadline for it to be finished by and I really think we're going to meet it, if not finish before it.

Jsoh

25-10-2010, 11:04 AM

seems to me these changes seem more like clubhabbo.. which may not be a bad thing but hey ho.

firstly, i think instead of making a deputy general manager for community as someone stated earlier just make a site manager, the general management would consist of a general manager, an asst general manager, a site manager and a community manager.

secondly, the management team is just TOO BIG. you don't need features managers just to give out vip and crap, on other fansites the forum management / other administrators (gnrl / asst. gnrl mngr) is plenty enough people to give out vips and staff permissions also. you also don't need so many staff for everything, other fansites manage completely fine with less than 10 members of management within their team, you could merge graphics manager into asst general manager so they actually have a team to manage, merge features managers into forum management, merge competitions into events and have a forum events manager and a habbo events manager.

emotional

25-10-2010, 11:47 AM

Jsoh

25-10-2010, 12:08 PM

Phil

25-10-2010, 04:44 PM

Althought I can see where you're coming from, I also disagree with the whole events/competition merge. I'm not going to go back into the reasons because they've been said amany times in this thread. It just wouldn't work and I know of many staff in both departments that they wouldn't be happy to post competitons/host events. I'm a member of staff in competitions and manager in events and I just don't think it will work out.

If not a "merger" for competitions and events, they could at least cooperate a little more. They seem really distant etc.

Myself and Inseriousity. have already decided that we are going the bring the competitions and event departments to do something big for Christmas. There's not been much discussion about it just yet but I'm pretty confident it will be happening. While we're on the topic of departments cooperating; HxHD are currently allowed to host events on Habbo for the Habboxween period. Not only to help out events to get some more games in over the period but this is also benfitting the HxHD too by making it more popular.

immense

25-10-2010, 04:48 PM

By the looks of it they do everything the complicated/hard way here and thats why they need all the staff. I think its pathetic that whoever picks the GM's has overlooked brandon for people like Hecktix, and Mattgarner when im sure they do a good job but brandon has been an admin longer than these and is good at his Job.

Has also been fired. Unless I'm mistaken one of his old accounts are used on the forum too by somebody else which is a perm ban offence. Brandon should have been given Staff Editor though. It's disrespectful to him. Unfortunately, him and Yoshimitsui are stuck. They have worked their way up but because their role isn't seen as important they will never be promoted. Most thankless job. Also, as already mentioned, they don't interact with the community (on the forum anyway). Credit to both of them they get on with it which is more than can be said about the site coders!

Grig

25-10-2010, 04:52 PM

I've seen both brandon and Yoshi interact when given the opportunity too. It's just because they're stuck there, they don't. They both have excellent leadership qualities and should really have become AGM of staff or something.

immense

25-10-2010, 05:40 PM

I don't agree. As someone pointed out they don't post on the forum and Yoshimitsui takes a good 3-4 days for name changes.

Shar

25-10-2010, 05:42 PM

I don't agree. As someone pointed out they don't post on the forum and Yoshimitsui takes a good 3-4 days for name changes.
But on the other hand its not all about how much someone posts, its how good they will do the job of the position they are given.

immense

25-10-2010, 05:42 PM

Exactly right. So if you take time to read my post you will see me answer that comment. He takes 3/4 days to do an important part of his job.

Grig

25-10-2010, 05:45 PM

I've worked with Yoshi on habbox world, and he was an excellent manager and really took part in the community. He probably doesn't really do much Habbo stuff anymore as he is the extreme background job of Habbox. So is brandy.

Shar

25-10-2010, 05:47 PM

Exactly right. So if you take time to read my post you will see me answer that comment. He takes 3/4 days to do an important part of his job.
I read your post Jake, but I didn't want to feel like I'm targeting Yoshi in particular, I agree with you and I get where you are coming from though.

Edit: @Grig, it's not about what a individual has done in the past, but about what they are doing in the present that actually matters.

immense

25-10-2010, 05:47 PM

I think the current general management, bar one, are the best people for the job.

Shar

25-10-2010, 05:50 PM

I think the current general management, bar one, are the best people for the job.
They are doing a great job at the moment, in my opinion, and despite all the (negative) feedback, it seems that things are going towards the right direction now.

nvrspk4

26-10-2010, 03:47 AM

Reviews of individual members of management will get us nowhere and derail the thread. Garion did a good job of making the topics general for structural reorganization, not personnel-based. If we start discussing individual managers this thread will degenerate and any possible good that could come out of it will probably be lost.

FlyingJesus

26-10-2010, 09:13 AM

lol it makes no sense. If it made sense, I'd step aside and let them get on with it. Events and comps are two different jobs. One requires your own furni, the other doesn't. One requires being an active Habbo player, the other doesn't. One takes a lot of time and commitment (events), the other doesn't. Big campaigns can still be done, it's not like keeping the two seperated prevents that from happening however I think you'd see a decline in both if they were to merge.

Something that you always seem to overlook when this comes up is something that you've mentioned yourself there - comps doesn't take a lot of time and commitment. I've long been of the opinion that the comps jobs could be either done by the events team with very little extra effort or if they're unwilling, spread out across the other various community teams. There are a massive TWO competitions is only one competition running currently (sorry the other one is finished but hasn't been moved yet) and I'm fairly sure it wouldn't kill a member of HxHD or a DJ or an events organiser to pick out a thread from the comps vault and stick it in the public view every few days

How about we call this the "Community Manager" :O OMG NO WAY.

Hey, there's a title that rings a bell...

AGM Staff is honestly, by default, second in command. The staff job is time consuming, but it's not an entire mandate. For that reason, an AGM staff takes care of all the little things, and the big things. For example, as AGM staff I spearheaded a lot of special events, and at times worked with my other two AGMs to solve problems in specific departments when they related to staffing issues. Now, there is the option here that the AGM (Staff) could absorb the role of managing the content departments (apart from the actual Content Department which would fall under AGM (Site)), especially since there are fewer.

I agree entirely, AGM Staff needs to be a powerful figure who can lead from the 2nd line. You did it, and to an extent David did it after your rise to full power (although after a while it was clear that Sam was doing his job for him lol) and it's definitely a role that requires a bit more than just what's set out in the title. A weak AGM Staff means a weak overall staff force, so it makes sense that someone in this position is well enabled to assist the GM across the whole board, HILARIOUS forum pun not intended

They both have excellent leadership qualities and should really have become AGM of staff or something.

"Used to have" I believe - they're both too far removed from everything now. Much love to them both but they are not leaders any more

Grig

26-10-2010, 09:49 AM

Yeh, but I don't think Jin or Matt like an AGM of staff that are too 'powerful' from what I hear, which is a shame.

Mathew

26-10-2010, 10:34 AM

If our dearest Timmy went into the Help Desk and inquired as to how reputation works on the forum a moderator would be just as able to answer the question infront of the bar as they would behind it.
In that case, it brings back the age-old question of: Why is there a bar? ;)
Oh I'm going to regret saying that if there's a mass debate about it turning into a lounge :P

[QUOTE=HotelUser] I know Jordan is very enthusiastic about desk events and HxHD endorsement and I think in coherence with Roxy and the department's staff things are going to take off quite nicely.
It's been really good having Jordesh (along with Lizzie and Sammify) helping out with events over the halloween period and it's worked quite nicely with HxHD getting involved in that fashion. Maybe you should encourage some of your staff to join events full time ;)

Naturally, I disagree with the competitions and events merge because the work-load would be simply too much if they were combined. There's a lot of "admin work" (as they say) in Competitions and to be fair, it's not the sort of thing that should be getting mixed in with client events.

I've never understood why rule breaks on the forum must be directed to the AGM (Staff). Staff misbehaviour on the forum should be treated exactly the same as a normal member and the same procedures followed. If a staff member is being constantly "rowdy," then a note should be sent to the staff AGM so they can discuss their position and responsibilities.

Inseriousity.

26-10-2010, 03:10 PM

Something that you always seem to overlook when this comes up is something that you've mentioned yourself there - comps doesn't take a lot of time and commitment. I've long been of the opinion that the comps jobs could be either done by the events team with very little extra effort or if they're unwilling, spread out across the other various community teams. There are a massive TWO competitions is only one competition running currently (sorry the other one is finished but hasn't been moved yet) and I'm fairly sure it wouldn't kill a member of HxHD or a DJ or an events organiser to pick out a thread from the comps vault and stick it in the public view every few days

However, the one thing you always seem to overlook is that there is actually a lot of hidden work. There are currently no competitions atm because of this hidden work. I have to PM winners, give out prizes, request vip/rep etc and it certainly could not be dumped on one manager so I am against the events-comps merge. I did, however, say further in this thread that if general management wanted to disband the comps department and spread it out between the community departments, that would work a lot better than the merge that was suggested, although even that is not exactly ideal. In some departments, the staff struggle to do the job they do at the minute never mind adding more on top. Also, comps don't appear in the 'comp vault' out of nowhere, they do actually take time to do and at times when people complain about the lack of competitions as it is , it makes you wonder what they'd be complaining about if competitions were to be an 'add-on' of another department.

FlyingJesus

26-10-2010, 03:42 PM

Does it take 9 members of staff to give out a prize then? Congratulatory PMs can be very much cookie-cutter things with a few areas changed each time just for winner's name, comp name and what their prize is, and requesting the VIP/rep consists of a PM to the appropriate person and logging it as processing or done as necessary. The only bit that truly requires any time and coordination is for sorting the prizes on the hotel, which granted has been made more difficult since the removal of donation rooms but surely can't account for the chronic lack of activity

Inseriousity.

26-10-2010, 03:49 PM

No it doesn't take 9 members but Habbox have various hoops to jump through, giving them more won't help them.
Congratulatory PMs are very much cookie-cutter PMs, laid out exactly as you described. That still doesn't mean they don't take time and effort to do.
The requesting bit's easy tbh, that'd be fine. I was just getting the point across that it's not just a case of 'taking a comp out of the comp vault every couple of days', there is a lot more to it than that. Dumping it on one department wouldn't be very fair and would be too much. Spreading it across several departments would be a lot more effective but I think quality of comps would decrease when it becomes the 'secondary' job.

nvrspk4

27-10-2010, 12:41 AM

To be fair, Comps has been run with a much smaller staff, I believe MissAlice is around and can explain that, I was also comps manager on HxUS for a while. If a staffer is actually devoted to comps and issues three a month, two staff members could be sufficient.

Grig

27-10-2010, 05:45 AM

Yeh, when I was first around comps years ago- the staff number was indeed much smaller. BUT, the whole comp system was different; now there are wayyy more comps than before, and last for a much shorter period of time.

FlyingJesus

27-10-2010, 02:14 PM

now there are wayyy more comps than before

lol really? (http://www.habboxforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=5)

Inseriousity.

27-10-2010, 02:17 PM

yes, really.
I think the 'competitions winners' thread displays this quite clearly (and there's still more to be added for this month). Before January, there were 9-10, now there's around 40 a month.

Competitions now last 5 days rather than the month they were.

Nemo

27-10-2010, 02:24 PM

Martin

27-10-2010, 02:32 PM

I think he's referring to the fact there's no active competitions as there either isn't any, or they end today.

There are often less competitions at the end of the month, since this is when the competitions calander ends and we get ready for the next month. There are still competitions there, and at the end of the month, other departments are encouraged to do competitions if they wish.

As Michael has said, the number of competitions generally througout the month has increased by a hell of a lot over the past year, and in my opinion they are now far easier to enter, get more entries, and there's more of a community feel about them with lots of people getting involved.

Furthermore, I don't think it would be a good idea to merge events/competitions at all. They are two different departments, which both offer something worthwhile to the community, and both have a strong future in my view. Competitions are getting better and better, and i'm seeing loads more events now too.

Merging them together will only hamper their success in my opinion, wheras this way each element can be worked on and improved individually, with a strong dedicated staff force on each side ensuring things are perfect.

I love working in competitions, and I enjoy the creativity side of it, and there are big differences between hosting an event on habbo, and thinkingup/planning/writing a competition. Yes, they both offer prizes and give the community something to do, but they both require different ways of thinking/organisation/admin.

Michael and Alex are doing an amazing job with competitions and in my view they've come a long way in making them far easier for people to get involved/enter. The end of the month will always see a reduction in the number of avilable comps, however this doesn't really matter too much when there's a whole month of competitions just around the corner again.

Shar

27-10-2010, 02:33 PM

The competitions department has actually been progressing and the quality of the competitions are better nowadays imo. Thanks to Alex and Mike and their comps team the the department is promoted more and even more people do competitions.

Richie

27-10-2010, 02:33 PM

General Manager - In all honesty, have a look at what the General Manager actually does (this isn't specifically aimed at Matt, btw, it is the role I am talking about). Okay the General Manager does a lot, that is true, so I guess the question is what does the role of General Manager actually do that the other layers of Management don't do already? It's essentially another layer of pointless bureaucracy and approval, and it has become a role that essentially restricts what Matt can really do. Therefore...

Who is matt?

Na but really, Matts a nice guy but in my opinion your one of the worst general managers as of yet. That's just my opinion though. You seem to just flow with whatever the agms think, I just get that vibe and I don't like it. As a general manager you should take control.

O/T: I agree with most of your points garion but I don't think jins gonna be too keen to give access to a site manager.

Inseriousity.

27-10-2010, 02:35 PM

I know he is however, the quote he's referring to is refering to the changes that the department's gone through since January this year. There aren't any competitions from us at the end of every month because I have to:

write this

Week 1 - Alex3213

1st - Competition (Due: 27th September)
1st - Competition (Due: 27th September)
2nd - Competition (Due: 28th September)
2nd - Competition (Due: 28th September)
3rd - Competition (Due: 29th September)
3rd - Competition (Due: 29th September)
4th - Competition (Due: 30th September)
4th - Competition (Due: 30th September)
5th - Competition (Due: 1st October)
5th - Competition (Due: 1st October)
6th - Competition (Due: 2nd October)
6th - Competition (Due: 2nd October)
6th - 1st competition closes
6th - 1st competition closes
7th - Competition (Due: 3rd October)
7th - Competition (Due: 3rd October)
7th - 2nd competition closes
7th - 2nd competition closes

Week 2 - Inseriousity.

8th - Competition (Due: 4th October)
8th - Competition (Due: 4th October)
8th - 3rd competition closes
8th - 3rd competition closes
9th - Competition (Due: 5th October)
9th - Competition (Due: 5th October)
9th - 4th competition closes
9th - 4th competition closes
10th - Competition (Due: 6th October)
10th - Competition (Due: 6th October)
10th - 5th competition closes
10th - 5th competition closes
11th - Competition (Due: 7th October)
11th - Competition (Due: 7th October)
11th - 6th competition closes
11th - 6th competition closes
12th - Competition (Due: 8th October)
12th - Competition (Due: 8th October)
12th - 7th competition closes
12th - 7th competition closes
13th - Competition (Due: 9th October)
13th - Competition (Due: 9th October)
13th - 8th competition closes
13th - 8th competition closes
14th - Competition (Due: 10th October)
14th - Competition (Due: 10th October)
14th - 9th competition closes
14th - 9th competition closes

Week 3 - Alex3213

15th - Competition (Due: 11th October)
15th - Competition (Due: 11th October)
15th - 10th competition closes
15th - 10th competition closes
16th - Competition (Due: 12th October)
16th - Competition (Due: 12th October)
16th - 11th competition closes
16th - 11th competition closes
17th - Competition (Due: 13th October)
17th - Competition (Due: 13th October)
17th - 12th competition closes
17th - 12th competition closes
18th - Competition (Due: 14th October)
18th - Competition (Due: 14th October)
18th - 13th competition closes
18th - 13th competition closes
19th - Competition (Due: 15th October)
19th - Competition (Due: 15th October)
19th - 14th competition closes
19th - 14th competition closes
20th - Competition (Due: 16th October)
20th - Competition (Due: 16th October)
20th - 15th competition closes
20th - 15th competition closes
21st - Competition (Due: 17th October)
21st - Competition (Due: 17th October)
21st - 16th competition closes
21st - 16th competition closes

Week 4 - Inseriousity.

22nd - 17th competition closes
22nd - 17th competition closes
23rd - 18th competition closes
23rd - 18th competition closes
24th - 19th competition closes
24th - 19th competition closes
25th - 20th competition closes
25th - 20th competition closes
26th - 21st competition closes
26th - 21st competition closes

write these (oh lol these are from april, memory lane)

http://i43.tinypic.com/dmxy0i.png

Competition Name
Eggcelent Chocolate
There were 10 Green Bottles
Easter Fools
Then there was one
Oh Yes

Competition Idea
Eggcelent Chocolate – 7/10
There were 10 Green Bottles – 7/10
Easter Fools – 9/10
Then there was one – 9/10
Oh Yes – 8/10

Competition Introduction
Well as always, your competition introductions generally tend to be okay. There have been a few problems with images sometimes but you tend to sort them out anyway. There were 10 Green Bottles is a ridiculously long title, in hindsight, 10 Green Bottles would probably have sufficed.

Targets
Improve on image quality – Completed.
Keep on top of winners/admin work – Not completed. Not just you tbh, we both left it to the end. We’ve got to get motivated and you definitely need to do it before you go on your holidays, don’t forget!

General Comments
Overall you’re a valued member of the team as usual. You recently got a Congrats topic and it was justly deserved as I see the hard work you put in every single day. Long may it continue! However, I can’t justify another 10/10 this month because of the admin side of things and the fact that the bar is raised after every 10/10 you get.

Overall Rating
9/10

http://i43.tinypic.com/1z5he28.png

Competition Name
Egg Hunt
Eggstraordinary Years
Palindrome Syndrome
Missing Dogs

Competition Idea
Egg Hunt – 10/10
Eggstraordinary Years – 7/10
Palindrome Syndrome – 8/10
Missing Dogs – 7/10

Competition Introduction
Well, your first month and don’t be disheartened by the lack of entries for your competitions. As it’s the first month, they’re bound to be quite low as you learn to adapt your competitions to get the best out of them. Despite that, your Egg Hunt competition was probably the best this month in my opinion even if it only did recieve 4 entries. An idea is to mix up your competitions. I have stressed the importance of HabboxComps competitions and I stand by that but a nice variety of longer comps may just help you gain some confidence when it comes to reports (as they generally tend to do better for various reasons, probably cos it’s less hassle, which we are trying to sort out!).

Targets
Have a variety of competitions – HabboxComps and non-HabboxComps

General Comments
Inseriousity.'s comments: Overall, well done on passing your trial firstly. You’ve remained active throughout the trial, asking questions. A good idea to improve your score is to get heavily involved in the next Competitions Challenge (see below). Keep it up!
Alex3213's comments: An impressive first month Phil. You've reached all your deadlines and have produced some magnificent (easter) competitions, with a wide range of entries. When you read the bottom of this thread it wiill show your amount of entries, so have a look to see if you can improve the "style" of the lower amount of entries with a different theme in order to get higher entries, in order to get a variety and contrast. One of your competitions, 'Eggstraordinary Years', was very unclear and was quite similar to a competition I did earlier; personally I didn't like it and is probably the main fault. On another negative note; I want answers for your answers! I don't know if I have completely MISSED them but I can't see any answers from you at all in the HabboxComps PM box (note from Mike: you missed them and so did I, poor guy pmed them twice to me hehe). A lovely month from you and a well deserved passed trial, I hope to see many more positive things from you in the future.

Overall Rating
Inseriousity.'s rating: 8/10
Alex3213's rating: 9/10
Overall: 17/20

http://i44.tinypic.com/2dce9lg.png

Competition Name
Eggmazing
Remember the Reason
Celeb Quotes

Competition Idea
Eggmazing – 9/10
Remember the Reason – 6/10
Celeb Quotes – 7/10

Competition Introduction
Well, the competitions you did had some very good ideas behind them. It’s a shame the religious side of Easter backfired with only 1 entry but sometimes, these things just happen. You build on them. Your celeb quotes was probably harder than it looks as when you collect the answers, it’s obviously easy when you know where to look! Bear that in mind and either make it really infamous quotes that almost everyone should know or would be easy to look for.

Targets
Be a bit more active. I know you’re having troubles at the moment and I hope they get sorted out.
Post your competitions on time!

General Comments
Inseriousity.'s comments: Overall, I know you have massive potential which is why I passed you on your trial despite the shaky finish. It’s a shame there were personal problems during your trial but I hope when you come back, you come back stronger and ready to get your head down and get on with things. Good luck.
Alex3213's comments: Good month considering you've been away and it has been a struggle to find the ropes for you first of all. I can't say much but remember your winners and answers, try to get more interactive and I know that you are a very active person in the News Department, let us hope for that to be the same in the Competitions. Your competitions are a very high standard and that is what got you in the green for me this month. Not got much to say other than that. Congratulations on passing your trial!

Overall Rating
Inseriousity.'s rating: 7/10
Alex3213's rating: 8/10
Total: 15/20

http://i40.tinypic.com/24fw5mx.png

Competition Name
Eggs Galore
Gotta be there
Easter changes
More than just a potato
The hotel merge

Competition Idea
Eggs Galore – 9/10
Gotta be there! – 7/10
Easter changes – 7/10
More than just a potato – 9/10
The hotel merge – 8/10

Competition Introduction
Well, as I said with Alex, your competitions tend to be generally okay. I have seen a recent pattern emerging though. When red bolding words, make sure you only red bold the necessary words. I know you’re an experienced Comps Staff and I can see the reasoning behind the words you do bold but it’s not really needed most of the time. Just the prize, how to enter (habboxcomps/reply to thread) and what-to-do (match, answer etc). We had a little trouble with the Hotel Merge competition. I knew it’d be popular but in an attempt to simplify things (which yes, we are trying to do), it actually made it harder! I don’t mind harder competitions now and again, they tend to be the ‘VIP prizes’, so feel free to do them, they should be rarer than the simple competitions though, that’s the only thing!

Targets
Make sure you check your work. – Completed. Still finding small errors but definite improvement.
PM HabboxComps with the answers – Half completed. Another small improvement but not enough to warrant a ‘completed’

New target: Make sure you pick a winner as soon as you can. You’re doing it but it’s a bit slow (and it’s not just you!)

General Comments
Inseriousity.'s comments: Well, overall, you’ve had another great month. Every month, there’s at least one competition that makes me think ‘wow’ and you delivered again this month. Ironically enough, it was the potato competition that did it for me! Sounds like such a silly idea but I think that’s what makes it good, it was silly and yet effective because of that. Well done!
Alex3213's comments: Another excellent month for you. You have had a brilliant standard ever since you came to the department, and although it was 4 months ago, you coped with the change of competitions fairly quickly. I don't have much to say to you this month, grammar still isn't perfect mind you but I don't really want to waffle on! Keep it up, I don't expect anything less from you now.

Overall Rating
Inseriousity.'s rating: 10/10
Alex3213's rating: 10/10
Total: 20/20

http://i39.tinypic.com/21ewxtx.png

Competition Name
Brainy Bunny
The Prize Egg

Competition Idea
Brainy Bunny – 8/10
The Prize Egg – 9/10

Competition Introduction
Well, there’s not much to say really as you haven’t been able to do much. However, what you did do was still of a high standard of work. You’re very creative with your ideas and it’s nice to see. The Prize Egg competition in particular did extremely well and even I entered it (in my head) because it looked fun to do and that’s the key to success!

Targets
Improve your pictures by making them smaller and transparent – Not completed. Well you weren’t here so a bit unfair to put completed really!

General Comments
Inseriousity.'s comments: Overall, what you did do was at the high standard I’ve come to expect from you. I obviously can’t give you a good score mainly for consistency purposes but when you do come back, I’m sure you’ll boost it up again! Look forward to seeing you!
Alex3213's comments: You're always the tricky one. I struggle to think of what to give you as a rating and what to say as a comment. I know you've had problems in real life as well as your computer's internet going to pieces. That obviously has been took into account but I don't think you hit the bar as much this month. Your competitions are always very interesting and some of them do get many entries, they're original and of course fascinating! Still want you to be slightly more active though, because I know you have been on but been standing 'idle' sometimes (don't take that too harshly, couldn't find a better way to describe it). You are someone who has a high potential and I know what you're made of, hope real life is going okay.

Overall Rating
Inseriousity.'s rating: 7/10
Alex3213's rating: 8/10
Total: 15/20

News from the Department

Well, quite a lot of comings-and-goings. DJ-Ains.T and Dilusionate have both passed their trial even if Phil mercilessly beat me on Gyroball (I WILL RECLAIM MY TITLE, JUST YOU WAIT AND SEE!). RNB.Queen and AidenFTW24 both resigned before their trial ended and Skyescaper did not pass his trial. Phew, that’s all that out the way.

Before we start the new Competitions Challenge, it’s time we announce the winner of the old one! Well done to ihatehash (Mike2) who has successfully beaten off all the competition to win the title. For someone who didn’t really like the idea, it’s clear no-one else really tried so he scooped the title from underneath our feet and deserves his prize nevertheless! He gets Staff Member of the Month, +rep from me and Alex and 10/10 on his reports. And now that brings us onto Competitions Challenge 2, which is slightly harder but will be a challenge that’ll run into next month!

We haven’t really done a quest for a while and so for the next month, we’ll be working on a new quest to present to the members! The challenge is to get involved as much as you can into the behind-the-scenes of the quest! In previous quests, me and Alex have had a last minute dash doing stickies and so now’s your chance to get involved, especially in the ideas section. I want something new, something original, something daring, something hugeeeeeeeeeeeee and more importantly, something fun. A definite challenge but we’ll manage.

Well, there’s going to be a new thread coming soon where you can post your feedback. I won’t be stickying it (we’ve been told to cut down so I have, that’s news as well hehe) but you can feel free to use it whenever you like! A new thread will be made for the new challenge though.

Number of entries
Well, as you can see from the graph, we’re slowly going downhill and while this is obviously not good enough, the amount of resignations and problems we’ve suffered, I’m just pleased we kept our head above water. There were a lot of days where no competitions were posted at all because of this reason and I sincerely hope we get at least one competition a day this month.

Results of Competitions Challenge in full detail can be seen here (http://www.habboxforum.com/showthread.php?t=634165&daysprune=-1).

Eggmazing (DJ-Ains.T) – 16 entries
Quizeggical (RNB.Queen) – 4 entries
Eggaholic (RNB.Queen) - 17 entries
Egg Hunt (Dilusionate) – 4 entries
Caption Phrase (Inseriousity.) – 21 entries
Easter Favourites (SkyeScaper) - 17 entries
Easter or West...er? (Inseriousity.) – 4 entries
Eggcelent Chocolate (Alex3213) – 2 entries
Eggs Galore (ihatehash) – 6 entries
Brainy Bunny (Vanity) – 4 entries
Eggstraordinary Years (Dilusionate) – 2 entries
Remember the Reason (DJ-Ains.T) – 1 entry
Palindrome Syndrome (Dilusionate) – 5 entries
There were 10 Green Bottles (Alex3213) – 9 entries
Name that film (Inseriousity.) – 7 entries
Gotta’ be there! (ihatehash) – 17 entries
St Erea (Inseriousity.) – 11 entries
Easter Fools (Alex3213) – 10 entries
The prize egg (Vanity) – 16 entries
Easter changes (ihatehash) – 11 entries
Grand National (Inseriousity.) – 20 entries
Then there was one (Alex3213) – 12 entries
More than just a potato (ihatehash) – 14 entries
Missing Dogs (Dilusionate) – 2 entries
Celeb Quotes (DJ-Ains.T) – 2 entries
Survivor (Skyescaper) – 5 entries
Mashed up (Inseriousity.) – 3 entries
Oh Yes (Alex3213) – 9 entries
The hotel merge (ihatehash) – 18 entries

Total: 269

http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/4296/chartapril.png

Staff Member of the Month is

IHATEHASH

Well done for winning the first Competitions Challenge but can you win the second? The new challenge you can’t win on luck and good competitions alone! You need to be getting stuck in, good luck!

do around 20 of these:

Congratulations [insert HabboxForum username here],

You have won the [insert name of competition here] competition, well done! The prize for this competition is:

[Insert Habbo prize]

You are now given the choice of "swapping" your HC Sofa(s) for forum reputation points. 1 HC Sofa will give you 10 extra rep points added to your account instead. HC Sofas can not be traded in for anything else. Please reply back to this PM as soon as you can with your choice and you will be guided from there.

Congratulations once again
[Insert your HabboxForum username here] - Assistant Competitions Manager

It's a busy period which we decide to dedicate to the admin work. To combat this, we ask other departments to chip in with a competition every month, similar to the idea about spreading them out to the community departments. Getting them to do it once a month is hard (excluding graphics dept. who do it every month without fail), getting them to do it full time will likely be harder.

edit: Oh I should add that the graphics in those reports are not done by the graphics dept. but alex did them. the graphics dept. always do good graphics unlike those ones, sorry alex :P

Grig

27-10-2010, 02:40 PM

Who is matt?

Na but really, Matts a nice guy but in my opinion your one of the worst general managers as of yet. That's just my opinion though. You seem to just flow with whatever the agms think, I just get that vibe and I don't like it. As a general manager you should take control.

O/T: I agree with most of your points garion but I don't think jins gonna be too keen to give access to a site manager.

I agree with you, the general manager is poor. Garion and Oli were and are strong. Roxy is great. But seriously, this GM has SOO MUCHHH bias, it's just not funny. It's pathetic, get a new one.

Shar

27-10-2010, 02:45 PM

Nemo

27-10-2010, 02:46 PM

Slating off the current general manager will get habbox nowhere.
Actually it will because then maybe something will get done.

Saying that, i have no opinion on the whole AGM/GM thing since i dont really look at what any of them does.

Shar

27-10-2010, 02:49 PM

Actually it will because then maybe something will get done.

Saying that, i have no opinion on the whole AGM/GM thing since i dont really look at what any of them does.
However, what Grig did there was just pick on characteristics he dislikes of the current GM, that's not really giving constructive feedback on how to get things fixed.

Nemo

27-10-2010, 02:51 PM

However, what Grig did there was just pick on characteristics he dislikes of the current GM, that's not really giving constructive feedback on how to get things fixed.
Well it kind of is, hes saying what he dislikes about the current GM and therefore why he should be gotten rid of

sammy

27-10-2010, 02:51 PM

However, what Grig did there was just pick on characteristics he dislikes of the current GM, that's not really giving constructive feedback on how to get things fixed.

How lol? If he's pointing out his bad points then maybe Matt will try to improve, so it is positive feedback :P.

Jsoh

27-10-2010, 02:53 PM

there's nothing wrong with mattg, he makes good decisions in hiring management from what i can see and yeah, he could be given more power to move this site forwards, but as a whole he is already good at managing. with experience in general managing myself, it's not always the easiest job to know what you should be doing, there is a huge list of things you could be doing so it takes a good person to even know what they should be prioritising themselves with. matt seems like a good person, but i do agree he should maybe get a bit more of a backbone, not that he should be fired.

Grig

27-10-2010, 02:55 PM

I like Garion and Oli; they are leaders. Matt has no current ideas and lies back to the AGM of staff to help him defend himself, that's what happened with Garion and is what happening now. He can't defend his mistakes for life.

Phil

27-10-2010, 03:16 PM

Not meaning to sound rude but I thought this thread was 'Suggestions for Change'. Shouldn't we be discussing how we can improve departments and management teams as a whole, not throwing negative comments at a certain member of staff? Wouldn't be so bad if it was constructive crticism (which some of it is) but a lot of what is being said about Matt are just negative comments.

Hecktix

27-10-2010, 03:19 PM

In my experience at Habbox there have been two kinds of General Manager, the type that gets involved behind the scenes in the sense of getting to know everything that was going on and by all means putting their foot down and running their Habbox, by all means it was a dictatorship but a damn successful one. The two General Manager's i'm referring to here are 8Freak8 and ---MAD---, 8Freak8 (in my opinion) is one of the best General Manager's Habbox has had, and although I disgreed with ---MAD--- a lot of the time he got the job done and ran things effectively. However, there was a problem with this leadership - what 8F8 and ---MAD--- said went - end of, no argument, no discussion and it took a long time to turn them (hell it took me about 2 hours to persuade 8Freak8 not to turn Habbox Help desk into a team kick wars when I was HxHD Manager).

In the days of 8Freak8 nobody dared answer back to him and in the days of ---MAD--- well we all know what happened if you moaned too much at ---MAD---, nowadays this simply wouldn't work at Habbox as we've come to a stage where the users are more involved in the running of Habbox and presenting ideas and whatnot than ever before, hell we wouldn't have had a thread discussing the capabilities of General Management four years ago :P

I think the new era of General Management came along with nvrspk4 and this era was more to turn Management into more of a team, I think it was something nvr had to do really due to time zones therefore he invested in a superb General Management team who got the jobs done for him and he was able to sit back and get on with his important behind the scenes jobs.

Matt is similar to nvrspk in some respects he entrusts his team of AGMs to get the niggly bits done for him, there are a large number of departments at Habbox and if Matt was to keep on top of all of them himself he'd find himself in a pickle - it'd be a full time job, not something you could juggle college with (I know 8F8 and ---MAD--- did it but in fairness 8F8 and ---MAD--- were older than nvr and Matt (more so 8F8)) so it makes sense for Matt to get us to keep on top of the departments, and then have us 3 report back to him, rather than one person getting the lowdown on 10 departments or however many there are.

Let's look at Matt's good sides, I can guaruntee he does an awful lot in terms of managing his management team, hell when I was Forum Manager I never imagined Matt could be as bossy as he is now I'm AGM - he does all the important stuff with Jin regarding Habbox Developments (whoever mentions V6 in response to that get's a slap) and works with the AGMs to ensure they are fulfilling their roles to justice.

Not only that, I don't remember in my time at Habbox (that's 4 years, a lot less than some I know but still it's quite lengthy) another General Manager who posts on the forum as much or goes on Habbo as much. It's fair enough saying Matt isn't as famous as the other GMs were but I'm not quite sure this is true, I remember being in a furni shop in the summer and someone walked in dressed exactly like Matt so I'm like "HEY MATTGARNER" (as let's face it no freak would dress like that out of chance) and it wasn't Matt, it was a kid who later told us he didnt have a HxF account, but listened to HxL and read the news at Habbox.com and knew xxMATTGxx was the General Manager - it was certainly a start.

The fact Matt is in the public eye a lot more than other General Managers is one of his strong points, he was on HxL last night for instance and HxL nearly hit 100 listeners for the first time in a good few months. Matt does his job and he makes sure we're doing our jobs, we work as a team to maintain and improve Habbox and I think it's clear that improvement is starting to happen, forum statistics are increasing, HxL listeners are increasing - it's going to be a long and steady process unfortunately but we're going to make it happen and in all fairness without MattG none of it could happen.

Mrs.McCall

27-10-2010, 03:26 PM

Have to agree.

8Freak8 was always my favourite GM because, even though he was stubborn, he really knew what he was doing and he would always make sure everything was, in his opinion, for the best. Sometimes though his judgement was a little iffy and that'd cause arguments and tension. He wasn't a social GM. People knew who he was on Habbo but he wasn't a major fan of posting loads around the forum and hanging out on Habbo.

xxMattGxx however is a social GM. He posts around the forum, he listens to people and he still gets the job done. He's a delegator and he knows his stuff. He allows people to make their own mistakes because, at the end of the day, the only way you can find out if an idea will work is to try it. I think Matt is outstanding in what he does and I think that criticism of him is quite unfair. He's just different to the GMs we've had before.

Yupt

27-10-2010, 03:38 PM

Just going to post a small reply, I'll write my essay on this matter once I'm home come the weekend (presuming this thread is still hot at the time)

But ew, comps and events merging is a horrible idea. Competitions is a small department but with a big influence, on the other hand, events are a larger department (I think) who seem to be in a low ATM. Merging the two would make a meadocre department falling somewhere between the standards of the two. I think comps are doing great as they are (obvs, look at the amazing staff, love u guys xox) and the quote "why fix something which isn't broken" springs to mind, events on the other hand needs a little push. I think management need to concentrate more on fixing events than jumping to rash decisions and merging departments.

Mathew

27-10-2010, 03:59 PM

On the other hand, events are a larger department (I think) who seem to be in a low ATM.
Merging the two would make a meadocre department falling somewhere between the standards of the two.
Events on the other hand needs a little push. I think management need to concentrate more on fixing events than jumping to rash decisions and merging departments.
Well it's easy to see you've been away, Mike. We're not in a competition here, but you might want to check the Community Notice Board (http://www.habboxforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=4) and the Events Schedule (http://www.habboxforum.com/showthread.php?t=671363) and reword that :P:P

Granted though, in my opinion events was at an all-time low a couple of weeks ago; going a couple of days without any events at all. However I do think the new set of trialists and the Habboxween tournament has certainly improved things. Since last Saturday there's been 35 events with at least another 10 planned before next week.

Yupt

27-10-2010, 04:12 PM

Well it's easy to see you've been away, Mike. We're not in a competition here, but you might want to check the Community Notice Board (http://www.habboxforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=4) and the Events Schedule (http://www.habboxforum.com/showthread.php?t=671363) and reword that :P:P

Granted though, in my opinion events was at an all-time low a couple of weeks ago; going a couple of days without any events at all. However I do think the new set of trialists and the Habboxween tournament has certainly improved things. Since last Saturday there's been 35 events with at least another 10 planned before next week.

Awesome, both departments are doing well, so there's no need to merge them. Hot.

Mathew

27-10-2010, 04:14 PM

Awesome, both departments are doing well, so there's no need to merge them. Hot.
Agreed :D:D

http://library.thinkquest.org/03oct/01464/correct_answer.gif

Mrs.McCall

27-10-2010, 06:28 PM

Controversially, I agree with a merge. Competitions & Events could work well as one department in my opinion as I do feel they're extremely similar. A similar argument was made back when Articles was running to merge Articles and News and I agreed with that too. I think merging makes a department stronger but understand this is a controversial move. I just feel it'd benefit members more as the scope of competitions could be bigger.. a competition could be stretched out to an event. It make things more exciting.

Inseriousity.

27-10-2010, 06:33 PM

Merging doesn't automatically make a department stronger. They're not similar; they have similar aims but the method of achieving them is completely different.

Bigger doesn't necessarly mean better (sexual innuendo not intended ;)) and I think people underestimate the value of a single individual competition. In fact, some of the best competitions I've seen have been completely independant of a theme/arc/big event. Sticking a theme can limit creativity if you're not careful.

edit: oh and just cos matt doesn't write essays to defend himself doesn't make him a bad GM. Admittedly he's not the best GM I've been manager under but he'd be competing with nvrspk4 so that's not really fair :p

FlyingJesus

27-10-2010, 06:40 PM

both departments are doing well

http://cdn.best.complex.com/assets/images/lists/hip-hop-gifs/1-50-Cent-Laugh-Off.gif

Controversially, I agree with a merge. Competitions & Events could work well as one department in my opinion as I do feel they're extremely similar. A similar argument was made back when Articles was running to merge Articles and News and I agreed with that too. I think merging makes a department stronger but understand this is a controversial move. I just feel it'd benefit members more as the scope of competitions could be bigger.. a competition could be stretched out to an event. It make things more exciting.

Quite so, as far as I can see the arguments against a merge seem to be almost entirely from comps staff who don't want to lose their easy way into the staff areas. I was articles staff when the merge/dissolution happened and it was a very similar situation - we had to spend very little time and effort pulling out some small amount of work while the news team did more and could still easily have handled our jobs, but several people in the team were dead against it because it meant they'd either not be staff any more or would have to actually do something. This wouldn't work quite the same as articles was dropped entirely in the end and I don't think anyone's going to suggest that we oughtn't have competitions, but the basic similarities are there and other consolidations have also worked well in the past - most notably bringing together the moderation department and community department into one team, which has worked fairly smoothly ever since

Inseriousity.

27-10-2010, 06:48 PM

Mrs.McCall

27-10-2010, 06:49 PM

I don't see why it can't happen. Staff don't have to lose their jobs, they can be offered positions in the new, larger department. It would create a stronger department I really believe that.

Martin

27-10-2010, 06:53 PM

Not everything's about power. I have no interest in accessing staff forums on an online forum for cyber-power. I do it cos I like it, I resigned from events because I didn't really like it so I think it's fairly natural I'm against it.

Mathew's not comps staff and he disagrees with it too btw.

I think that kind of sums it up really. They are two different roles, which require different amounts of creativity/activity etc.

Hosting events are client based, and more interactive, wheras competitions are forum based, provide something for the forum members, lure new members in etc

Competitions are not all about Habbo (not many of them are), whereas events are mostly orientated around habbo, with all furniture as prizes etc, rather than forum VIP/reputation etc.

I don't see how having "one big department" would improve things, when it's far easier to spot problems/work on individual things within the department when they are seperate.

You may regard comps as "an easy way to get into the staff forums" but there is still work involved, the originality, creativity and admin work gives competitions staff lots to do, and we really enjoy doing this. Mike and Alex are brilliant managers, and they are always pulling out the stops to make competitions popular, and this works really well for the forum.

It's worked all these years having them seperate, and I really don't think they would benefit from being merged. There are far more important things on the forum/site which need attention, and comps and events can do just fine standing on their own merrits.

I don't see why it can't happen. Staff don't have to lose their jobs, they can be offered positions in the new, larger department. It would create a stronger department I really believe that.If there are problems with the departments as they currently are, then surely these can be looked at individually. You can't always fix something (that isn't really that broken anyway) by clamping two things together.

Both departments have strong management, and I really believe they do fine as seperate departments offering different things to the community.

I joined comps because I love the creativity side of things (and michael obv), but it's just nice being able to think up things, plan them out, present them in a thread and actually see people enterting your competitions and getting something out of it. VIP and rep prizes are good for forum members too.

I don't think merging them would gain much, since the people who joined events will be more into that side of things, wheras us comps staff may not particularly feel like hosting events on habbo all the time and using up an hour a time that way. Seperate managers, seperate ideas tailored to the needs of that department is better in my opinion.

Yupt

27-10-2010, 07:00 PM

The point of matter is, from an onlookers point of view, both department are similar. But as staff, it's alot different than you might think. A merge if these two departments would simply not work. And saying that competitions staff use comps as 'easy access to staff forums' here's a fact for you. I am the only competitions staff member who works only for comps, so all of my collegues do it out of choice. All members of comps are extremely dedicated towards it, so competitions is not just an excuse to enter staff forums..

EOs host events on the client for up to an hour per event (I think) where multiple people can win, competitions on the otherhand are written, video, creative based which last for however long depending on certain aspects.

There is nothing wrong with how each department is going currently and there is no need for a merge to take place.

Richie

27-10-2010, 07:48 PM

Shar

27-10-2010, 07:51 PM

That just proves that you 'don't have much to do' you make a thread and wait a few days, close it and give out prizes. A ****** could do it.

I don't really care though, I very rarely use either departments.
Until you are actually a staff member in either departments you can't really be the judge of that. Competitions need time and creativity, thus you can't say that staff don't do much.

Richie

27-10-2010, 07:55 PM

Until you are actually a staff member in either departments you can't really be the judge of that. Competitions need time and creativity, thus you can't say that staff don't do much.

Not nessesarly I could do a non-habbox comp on the forum, think of something decent, create a thread in 10mins and just wait.

Inseriousity.

27-10-2010, 08:03 PM

We never said it wasn't easy. No competitions staff could say that we work harder than a DJ or a HxHD staff for example. However, as Shar says, there is creativity needed and after a while, it's harder to think of good comps you haven't already done.

Just because it's easier than other departments doesn't mean a merge is a good idea.

Martin

27-10-2010, 08:04 PM

Not nessesarly I could do a non-habbox comp on the forum, think of something decent, create a thread in 10mins and just wait.

You have to think up unique, interesting competitions that will gain member participation, easy to enter, not overcomplicated and fit in with a particular style. Everything about the competition has to be perfect and has to be checked over etc. You also have to choose the winner in most cases, so read through the entries too and judge etc, which in itself can take a while.
Apart from doing this, there's also the idea's that get discussed in the forum about bigger habbox competitions for special times and the sharing of ideas. The competitions department has a lovely internal feel to it and everyone gets on well, and in my view the job gets done. The admin side to it is far greater than that of the events department, since the external giving of prizes, sorting out vip, sorting out the calendar of when competitions are posted, ensuring things are varied, and ensuring special times of the year there are special competitions etc takes time.

As mentioned above, I think you really have to be part of the department to see what goes on behind the scenes. The department structures have worked well up until now, and I don't think it's worth fixing something that isn't really broken. Competitions get a good number of entries. Looking through these threads you will notice that a lot of them are new members signing up to get involved. It's raising the profile of the forum, letting us come up with ideas for competitions and doing something which we enjoy doing.

Some departments will be naturally easier, however there's still a lot of thinking involved, and I for one love the job.

Jsoh

27-10-2010, 08:32 PM

personally even if i mentioned it at some point (i may have) i don't really care if competitions and events are merged together after reading this, they are both two different things. events have a very important factor of bringing people into habbox, they introduce outsiders from habbo to habbox and habboxforum. competitions are different, from my eyes the job of competitions is once the people have been dragged in via the events is to essentially keep people on the forum, once people join the forum because of the events they are looking for more ways to earn prizes just the way they did with events but via the forum, and this is where competitions come in. so to put it basically, events bring people in, competitions make the people brought in stay. personally i don't think merging them together will bring any good results.

Mrs.McCall

27-10-2010, 09:13 PM

I think people need to be careful here. I don't think Competitions isn't important, it absolutely is and, as a previous Competitions Staff member and Head Of Member Competitions I know a LOT of thought goes into competitions and a lot of what you lot have said is very insulting and demeaning to the work they do and I don't think that's fair. It DOES take a lot of creativity to do what they do and they don't get a lot of credit for it either. I used to love working there and making up new comps.

SO Comps IS important yes but I still think it'd work well as a partnership with events.

nvrspk4

27-10-2010, 09:45 PM

Inseriousity.

27-10-2010, 09:52 PM

MissAlice

27-10-2010, 10:29 PM

I disagree that the departments should be merged. They're two departments with very different job descriptions. What would result would be a department with two different types of positions, EOs and Competitions. In essence it would really just be appointing a dual manager for Events and Comps.

A better solution, in my opinion, is to downsize comps and demand a comp per week (with one week off) from members of staff. When you think about it, it's not that difficult. Having one major piece of work to do per week (I'm not saying that's all they do, but that's the real bulk of the work) isn't too inconveniencing. With this structure, Comps could function with a manager and two staff members. This would also allow for real quality staff to be hired, and also make it easier to fill new positions.

I have to second this. Having worked in the Competitions Department, it's much better to work with fewer staff. Four in total is all that's really required. I was fortunate that I had a good assistant manager who once I had taught, I could delegate work to him/her, could trust them to update the site for me, and eventually deliver prizes. Competitions should also roll on, once one has ended another should already be in place. So I don't quite understand why there is a month end. It's not a business, it's a department that should encourage new members to enter competitions regularly, and hopefully help retain their membership on the forum. Whilst they are waiting for winners to be announced, and checking out the new competitions appearing, they have the opportunity to trawl through all the new threads and posts made on the forum. Gets them interested in what else is on offer with Habbox.

Good competitions are important, it's what keeps members coming back, particularly new younger ones, as those members tell their friends. Quality is very important, and also a range of competitions that the younger members don't find to difficult to enter :)

I've not studied the Competition Forum in depth, but does the final post in a competition thread announce the winner, as well as being announced elsewhere? If it doesn't it should do.

Yupt

27-10-2010, 11:25 PM

I think both departments are working well as they are, it should be left as it is.

Edit; oh and there are only 5 or 6 comps staff as it is, if that. What's the point in subtracting from that?

Chippiewill

28-10-2010, 12:40 AM

Edit; oh and there are only 5 or 6 comps staff as it is, if that. What's the point in subtracting from that?

To change it from a Department to a small team which allows for ideas to improve. Too many cooks spoil the broth.

FlyingJesus

28-10-2010, 12:47 AM

I think both departments are working well as they are, it should be left as it is.

Edit; oh and there are only 5 or 6 comps staff as it is, if that. What's the point in subtracting from that?

8, so clearly there is room for cuts if you think 5 or 6 is a good number ;)

Yupt

28-10-2010, 01:08 AM

I wasn't including the competition management when I said 6. 8 overall is still a small department, competitions are at the highest they've ever been, (don't quote me) what benefits would cutting down on staff make?

Why are you looking to cut from one of the smallest departments who are currently a success, why not look at departments with higher numbers who are currently in a low, I'm not going to name and shame, I'm sure you can work it out for your self, your a big boy.

Chippiewill

28-10-2010, 01:10 AM

Yupt

28-10-2010, 01:50 AM

Actually, most other departments are the same size. Just excluding HxL, HxHD and a couple of others.

There are not that many departments, you've named two, and said there are more, why look at comps when we've never been in a better position.

Chippiewill

28-10-2010, 01:56 AM

There are not that many departments, you've named two, and said there are more, why look at comps when we've never been in a better position.
Because your fact was wrong.

Yupt

28-10-2010, 02:04 AM

My quote was "one of the smallest". Please tell me how that is wrong, there are some smaller, but there are some bigger to.

My question, which nobody to my knowledge has answered.. What would cutting down on the number if comps staff benefit?

Its unnecessary little changes like this which annoy people, instead of trying to fix departments which are doing well, why not address some more serious matters.

Chippiewill

28-10-2010, 02:07 AM

My quote was "one of the smallest". Please tell me how that is wrong, there are some smaller, but there are some bigger to.

Because Competitions is about average.

My question, which nobody to my knowledge has answered.. What would cutting down on the number if comps staff benefit?

Nvr posted why ages back.

Its unnecessary little changes like this which annoy people, instead of trying to fix departments which are doing well, why not address some more serious matters.
Examples and ways to solve them would be helpful?

Yupt

28-10-2010, 02:16 AM

Nvr said that the departments should not be merged, agreed.

He also said that there should be a competition per week, 10 times Less what we currently provide... Not agreed.

If we were to only do one competition per week then fair is fair, there should be less staff if that was the case. But it's not, we currently do 40 comps per month, which averages to 5 comps per staff member per month, we put a lot of thought into each competition behind the scenes, whether you may think so or not, agreed comps don't do as much as say hxhd staff, I never said we did, but that doesn't mean we should change it dramatically.

Edit; if you want to see the bigger issues, go back to garions first post.

nvrspk4

28-10-2010, 02:46 AM

We do 40 competitions a month and there are still some people saying there should be more. You're suggesting dividing that by ten. Personally, I think you're trying to fix something that isn't broken. The department's currently on a high.

First of all, my apologies, I didn't realize you do 40 competitions a month, should have looked into that first. Second of all, I don't think you should do 40 competitions a month. Looking down the first few pages, I see a maximum of 26 entries, and those are outliers. There was Saurav's Birthday Bash which went well, but other than that, there were very few competitions.

I'm not sure why you would choose to give out 40 sets of prizes when you're getting 10 entries per competition. Perhaps downsizing to 10 (to 10, not dividing by 10, that'd be 4) comps per month would be a positive idea. A four times bigger prize might encourage more participants, and would also allow you to focus more on promoting those four.

I think four competitions with 50 entries beats 50 competitions with 10 entries. You might say that the latter has a over double the total entries. Yes, it does, but think about the utility. That's probably 10 members satisfied, who were probably already members. If you're getting 50 people involved in every competition, it's a much more useful department than the other situation.

Now the decrease in competition entries might not be your fault, but I think downsizing and focusing on a smaller number of competitions may be beneficial. To adapt the quote of the competitions guru, "quality, not quantity."

http://www.habboxforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=113&page=27&order=desc
and
http://www.habboxforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=113&page=31&order=desc

should be what we're aiming for in terms of entries.

Nvr said that the departments should not be merged, agreed.

He also said that there should be a competition per week, 10 times Less what we currently provide... Not agreed.

If we were to only do one competition per week then fair is fair, there should be less staff if that was the case. But it's not, we currently do 40 comps per month, which averages to 5 comps per staff member per month, we put a lot of thought into each competition behind the scenes, whether you may think so or not, agreed comps don't do as much as say hxhd staff, I never said we did, but that doesn't mean we should change it dramatically.

Edit; if you want to see the bigger issues, go back to garions first post.

I understand that you do 40 a week and you're thinking of downsizing as a bad thing. However, my point is that if the 40 comps per month aren't well-entered, then there's no point doing 40 comps a month. Obviously there's something seriously wrong and the easiest way to fix that is to downsize, focus, and rebuild from there.

I understand that you're all putting in a lot of effort, and that 40 competitions a month is a lot. However, I disagree that the fact that the Competitions Department is putting out 40 competitions a month means that they're being effective and the department is in top shape. That said, I will say once again, it's impressive that each staff member is putting out 5 comps a month, it's just not tackling the actual problem that the Comps Department is facing.

I have to second this. Having worked in the Competitions Department, it's much better to work with fewer staff. Four in total is all that's really required. I was fortunate that I had a good assistant manager who once I had taught, I could delegate work to him/her, could trust them to update the site for me, and eventually deliver prizes. Competitions should also roll on, once one has ended another should already be in place. So I don't quite understand why there is a month end. It's not a business, it's a department that should encourage new members to enter competitions regularly, and hopefully help retain their membership on the forum. Whilst they are waiting for winners to be announced, and checking out the new competitions appearing, they have the opportunity to trawl through all the new threads and posts made on the forum. Gets them interested in what else is on offer with Habbox.

Good competitions are important, it's what keeps members coming back, particularly new younger ones, as those members tell their friends. Quality is very important, and also a range of competitions that the younger members don't find to difficult to enter :)

I've not studied the Competition Forum in depth, but does the final post in a competition thread announce the winner, as well as being announced elsewhere? If it doesn't it should do.

Agreed with all of that.

Chippiewill

28-10-2010, 02:50 AM

I'm not sure why you would choose to give out 40 sets of prizes when you're getting 10 entries per competition. Perhaps downsizing to 10 (to 10, not dividing by 10, that'd be 4) comps per month would be a positive idea. A four times bigger prize might encourage more participants, and would also allow you to focus more on promoting those four.

I think you confused yourself there..

Obviously there's something seriously wrong
Actually I think the point is they're doing better than they were?

Yupt

28-10-2010, 03:03 AM

Have to agree with chippie there, comps deffinatly do not lack a sense of promoting the department.

Can I also ask what the links provided lead to? My phone doesn't seem to want to open them.

Martin

28-10-2010, 06:08 AM

The thing is, you can't really win with feedback. A while ago members were asking for more competitions. Competitions that were easy to enter, had variety and different types of competition etc.

I personally don't think the department is "facing a problem", and it's currently getting better and better. Over the past few months entries have been slowly increasing in general. We are told to aim for at least 10 entries per competition and I don't think this is bad really. When you look at the amount of forum members, and the amount of competitions that are usually on offer, having 10 entries+ isn't bad at all. A significant number of these are new members joining up, and I really do think that a good variety of competitions ensures that people will be more likely to find something that they are more interested in entering.

Michael and Alex do tons of advertising, and so much you could probably classify them as robots. They do a brilliant job of promoting the comps forum, and it's really payed off.

Hitting over 500 entries in total in a month is brilliant, and it's really the overall month you could look at, and realise that this is a great number of entries in total, which will be made up of newer and older members alike.

More variety and different types of comps will attract more people. There are other ways to get more entries on individual comps, however a lot of the time it also boils down to forum activity, how busy the forum is, and the style and easabilty of the competitions on offer.

I really don't think cutting back on the number of competitions would achieve much overall per month, perhaps just saving a few prizes here and there. The prizes themselves are often things like VIP, reputation and furniture, and I think they've achieved a good level of prizes now and this is certainly another factor in luring people in.

With amount of entries on the increase, a lot of new faces joining the forum as a result of comps, and a department full of dedicated people who enjoy their roles, I don't think there's much to be fixed personally, and the balance at the moment is good. I'm not just saying that as a Comps staff member, I'm saying it as a forum member who would happily enter the current competitions, find them to be nice and varied, and can see the huge amount of work Michael puts into his department. There were fewer competitions in the past, and this didn't really make things all that better.

My views on a merge of competitions and events are above, and I definitely don't think this should happen. I think people underestimate the success of the comps department at times, and I think with this number of competitions on offer it allows there to be a far better choice of them available. If there was "something wrong" surely it would have been identified months and months ago, since the department is currently doing fine in my eyes.

Josh

28-10-2010, 06:13 AM

on the merging issue, how would applications work? you need client-based workers (events) but not comps. are you just going to open apps for the events section? if so, it'd be the same as having two departments.

Grig

28-10-2010, 07:34 AM

Ah but Sammeth did a review on comps to make them more effective. However, I do agree comps need to be really creative and have huge prizesas before. Their layout is good now, but maybe nvr is right. I was with JoeyK. in comps and it worked well with less staff and less regular comps :).

Alex3213

28-10-2010, 08:20 AM

This is going to be very small as although I am on my iPod and on holiday, I personally think it's rude of me not to reply (thus I will only reply to comps).

I'm actually going to start which hasn't been said by anyone yet- thank you. Everyone knows that wirhout feedback you can't supply a better dept. so the department really appreciates it.

However, I do not like the merge idea. Josh has made my main concern being applicants, I resigned from events cos I didjt wanna do them. Why put applications open if some wanna do on client, some do not? I know I would not apply for a department like that. Also if they merged, youd have a lot more staff, do you need them?

In December, the dept. made a lot of chsnges due to feedback. I wont specify them as its hard typing but one was more comps. We used to have 11 comps/month and a lot were not impressed. Another was cutting down from a fortnight to five days. Again, something which was asked for. Otherwise, you have 14 days to wait for the comp to end, is it worth it? Im not sure five days will be healthy to get 50 people to enter either.

Im reluctantly leaving it at that and I shall return once im home. Sorry for poor SPAG (and i have read your points, dw nvr, ill reply soon)

Inseriousity.

28-10-2010, 09:12 AM

http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/5800/compsentriessept.png

I am well aware that MissAlice was a brilliant competitions manager but I'm afraid to say that the whole dynamic of Habbox has changed considerably and I doubt that the suggestions made would prove a success in the long term. I started recording number of entries from October onwards and with the system of my predecessor, I continued with that up until December when a massive feedback thread made me change everything. As you can see from the graph above, these changes have been a success and we're constantly reaching 500 entries now.

So to quote another popular phrase 'Why fix something that isn't broken?' I don't think any department manager would be foolish enough to say 'my department's perfect' but I don't think a department manager would change a formula that seems to be working either.

MissAlice

28-10-2010, 09:42 PM

For the benefit of Competition staff, I think you are doing great, running 40 competitions is hard work, and I am not disputing how much work goes into a competition, because I know from personal experience, I also know that when you start to struggle for ideas, the quality is also affected. However I do think there is room for improvement, which can only come about with suggestions. So this thread is just the place to say so, so please don't take anything I say as a criticism, but as good advice.

Which is better? 10 great competitions with excellent prizes or to have 40 competitions with mediocre prizes each month?

Also I know a lot of members prefer to receive VIP as part of the prize, but why not offer an alternative? You could easily offer 3 months VIP for a good competition with an alternative prize of some Habbo furni. Give the winner a choice, and then stick to the prizes and don't be swayed. That would make it appeal to more members, because not everyone wants VIP and the same can be said about furni.

Some regular competitions, can become favourites, they can be the best, they are fun, easy to create and easy to enter, and aimed at all abilities. Take a look at these, I know they are old, but competitions like these can still be used regularly:

http://www.habboxforum.com/showthread.php?t=88183
http://www.habboxforum.com/showthread.php?t=80614

Very easy to enter competitions correct? Look how many entries, the prizes and remember that this forum was some 18 months old, so the number of members was way less than now.

How have the dynamics of Habbox changed in the past 3 years?

Finally, it's really not about fixing something that isn't broken. It's about improving the tools you have at your disposal, making them sharper and applying them in a better way. Making the most of what you have to offer.

Inseriousity.

28-10-2010, 09:53 PM

The October 09 posted in the graph were 10 competitions with better prizes. As shown in the graph they didn't do well.

We couldn't easily offer 3 months VIP, I'm afraid, due to the 8 months-a-month quota we have. It's a lot nicer to be able to spread them out. We do currently offer the choice of swapping HCs to rep but we don't do this vice versa, mainly cos it'd probably get too much out of control although maybe VIP swapped for credits will help us save up our 8 months for the people who'd prefer it, we could try that. :)

We currently have a Caption Phrase competition that's 'regular', we also have other regular comps with similar ideas behind it (anagram competitions, spot the differences etc) that are regular as they are most popular.

As for there being less people, that's exactly my point! That's exactly how the dynamic of Habbox has changed. It's no longer a small community anymore. Small communities work better, they function better. When a community gets larger, there can be a lot of segregation and groups; it's harder for new members to come in and feel a part of the community. Older members who were young at the time are now older and no longer interested in entering competitions. The competitions department went from being the hub of the Habbox Community to being the bottom of the pile and it's been a struggle trying to get the name out there again.

edit: oh forgot to mention, competitions are only open for 5 days now rather than the month it used to be before.

Yupt

28-10-2010, 10:08 PM

Hiyaaa,

I have to say, I agree with the idea of favrioute competitions gaining more entries, and I was thinking, seeing as this whole thread is to set about improvements, do you think maybe at the end of each week we should create a poll for 'favrioute competition this week' and then the 4/5 winners throughout the month get put though and reused in the next month? I havnt run that through alex or mike, so opinions would be nice :)

Yes, again I agree that competition prizes are small, but instead of trying to minimise comps so the prize is larger for each competition, wouldn't it make more sense to see if we can get better funding? We try our best, competitions recently started accepting donations (read more, click link in sig) which get used in prizes of the donators choice. This is great. As you can see from sauravs birthday bash, bigger prize lead to more entries. But taking away from the variety of competitions we rovide is not he way to go about this, especially with the recent ask for more competitions.

immense

28-10-2010, 11:12 PM

I agree with you, the general manager is poor. Garion and Oli were and are strong. Roxy is great. But seriously, this GM has SOO MUCHHH bias, it's just not funny. It's pathetic, get a new one.

How on Earth does he have bias? I don't think he's the best GM nor the worst. Sammeth. wasn't that long ago, surely you haven't forgotten?! I think he's a decent GM and the problem is out of his hands now. Habbox.com is older than father time and until that revamps then I don't think Habbox will improve. It's an incredibly ugly site. It is for teenagers. Look at anything designed for teenagers - sleek. Habbox is opposite from sleek. It's a shame. I think the blame can go as far back as nvrspk4 and every GM since then have concentrated on the forum and not the site. The current General Management team though, unfortunately show no sign of changing this. This isn't me sticking up for the General Management team, I think they have been poorly put together and some members are there for the wrong reasons.

How lol? If he's pointing out his bad points then maybe Matt will try to improve, so it is positive feedback :P.

Some of the bad things don't need to be said. I have absolutely no doubt I could make at least 10 points why I think Habbox is bad. I won't because it's not constructive and only leads to a negative atmosphere.

there's nothing wrong with mattg, he makes good decisions in hiring management from what i can see and yeah, he could be given more power to move this site forwards, but as a whole he is already good at managing. with experience in general managing myself, it's not always the easiest job to know what you should be doing, there is a huge list of things you could be doing so it takes a good person to even know what they should be prioritising themselves with. matt seems like a good person, but i do agree he should maybe get a bit more of a backbone, not that he should be fired.

Agreed.

Want to hide these adverts? Register an account for free!