Headcount & Goal Setting

Threads related to the general organization of the project.

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sasquatch2o
Developer
Posts: 325
Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2014 1:56 pm

Headcount & Goal Setting

Post by sasquatch2o »

Who is Here? Who is active? What are we doing?
I think it would be beneficial to figure how many people are actually active here at TR and what they are willing to do. Knowing who is actively working on the mod, retired, or taking a break would help determine what departments need more help so that available people can begin working in those sections. As of now it seems there are five or six active people and 10-13 regulars. Strangely enough this is roughly the same number as when I joined. Including lurkers and infrequent guests it seems there are maybe 20-25 people on this site. Some may like to avoid the issue, but I think it should be discussed. Five dedicated people are enough to make good progress, but not if we are not on the same page and working toward well defined achievable goals.

Goal Setting:
I've mentioned the importance of setting goals before somewhere, but I think it would be good to restate my opinion on it. Goal setting and timelines would beneficial because they would help focus our efforts more productively. There should be weekly, monthly, and annual goals. A system for priority also needs to be established both for discussion and CS work.

Section Priority
Quest, NPC, Lit, Interior, Exterior, General Planning & Story

Examples of goals:

3 quest ideas per week (group)
1 misc quest bimonthly (group) every other - 2 p/month
1 faction/guild quest (3 months)
4 interiors per month (group)
4 reviews per month (group)
3 exteriors per year (group)
10 G.P. posts monthly (group)

This should be a baseline for TR goals. More can be accomplished, but it this much should be done at minimum with the number of people we have and the amount of work ahead of us. If there is a shortfall people from other sections need to be retasked to sluggish areas. IMO anyone who is able to do questing should be working on that, but since this is a hobby people will obviously tend to do what they enjoy most (as will I). We need many more misc quests even if they are very basic like go beat up the turnip thief or deliver X package, but we also need more in depth quests. TO give more leeway here maybe a couple misc quest could be done a month or every other month so long as totals are met. Faction or guild quests could instead be done at a set rate of 1 every 3 months. I think good progress would be 3 very minor quests and 1 major quest every 4 months (between 2-3 people). If a base level of quest ideas are posted as a group even the most simply quests are sure to be worth implementing and playing.

If we meet these baseline goals though we will make more consistent and focused progress, especially if we are also only working in priority regions.

At a base level of progress (annually):
144 quest proposals/rev (in priority region)
8-12 completed misc quests (in priority region)
4 comp. faction/guild q (in priority region)
48 completed int (in priority area - new content)
48 completed reviews (in priority area - next release)
3 completed exteriors (in priority area)
120 general planing posts (on priority topics)

These are achievable results and more could easily be done, but only if we know who is willing to remain active on this project, start goal-setting and prioritizing work based on urgency and importance, and reorganize and adjust workload accordingly. I am willing to do a steady 1 or 2 interiors a month in addition to posting quest ideas and helping with planning and welcome wagon tasks, but only if more people are willing to do their part to maintain progress.
my opinion.
Worsas
Developer
Posts: 438
Joined: Sat Sep 10, 2005 4:10 pm

Post by Worsas »

Those targets you specified aren't that small at all, but they could be achievable. I think you would just have to choose a place on these forums where someone (you?) keeps track on the figures. It is only a matter of someone taking the initiative to do this.

As you stated, everyone does their developlent on a voluntary base. It all boils down to personal initiative and the time availible of everyone to do the next step to get the project onwards. Keeping track of the targets and the progress on them could help channeling that effort a bit and point to the weak places.

At the end of the year or whenever a milestone is reached, the person in charge could make a new post and present the numbers to people.

I have no idea what the other people think, though. I don't know if most people want to work like in a company with deadlines and stuff.

I personally, if I was to implement any of this I would use those goals only to increase the sense of what is happening where and in what numbers among the people, rather than declare it as a must to people.
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Tyrant
Developer
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Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 10:05 pm
Location: Canada

Post by Tyrant »

Great idea.

Speaking strictly for myself, I would be more encouraged and enthusiastic about this if something like this were implemented.

There would be some actual measurable sense of achievement when you submit a finished claim.

Breaking up goals into smaller more reasonable ones could potentially increase interest in this project. I feel I'd put more time into this anyways
Mourn for us oppressed in fear
Chained and shackled, we are bound
Freedom choked in dread we live
Since Tyrant was enthroned
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