Graphics Department Update #3

caltroit_red_flames · 06-12-2020, 05:06 PM

In response to this post (http://nsfl.jcink.net/index.php?showtopic=23222) I am providing another update on the graphics department a little sooner than I would have liked to. There hasn't been enough time since the last one for me to present new and meaningful data as proof that the department has been improving, therefore I will be addressing each concern @xQCFamous has provided one by one and stating what is being done about them.

1.) The first part of the post I want to address is the idea that graphics is not an easy way to earn money. xQC states that he wanted to amass a large amount of money to start with to keep from having to worry about money.

Code:
When I first joined, my objective was clear, I was going to do graphics as a way of sustaining my bank account to have more than enough money to use for training, equipment and other purchases and not feel burdened by this or feel overwhelmed...

Code:
Unfortunately, since day one, it’s been anything but, and sadly, I cannot say its getting any better, as I am seeing the same patterns and trends from the same people that promise you the sun but then deliver the exact opposite.

Okay, so based on this we should see a pretty abysmal bank account for xQC, right? I mean we've been doing a bad job and we're trending in the wrong direction. Fortunately for xQC he has over $70,000,000 in his bank account! Over half of that bank is from his graphics created between April 28th and May 17th.

- http://nsfl.jcink.net/index.php?showtopic=22408
- http://nsfl.jcink.net/index.php?showtopic=22238
- http://nsfl.jcink.net/index.php?showtopic=22119
- http://nsfl.jcink.net/index.php?showtopic=22006

2.) Second I want to address the idea that despite people listening to his and others' frustrations nothing is being done about the backlog.

Code:
At first, I vented to my team, I vented frustrations to the leagues upper management and they heard my concerns, but alas, it was all just that, hearing concerns and nothing more. I brought my frustrations up about a few things to graders, to the head, to just about anyone I could hopefully get to listen, and I was constantly just fed the same line over and over again “it’ll be done”, “it’ll get there”.

But what disturbed me the most…is the work ethic in general behind the department. I couldn’t believe that graders were straight up telling me “our quota is to grade THREE minimum topics PER WEEK” and that is exactly what they were doing…despite being month+ behind, despite having people just sitting around twiddling their thumbs waiting, nothing was happening.

Here are the issues that led to there being a 9 page backlog when I was coming on as the head of graphics.

- A slow previous grading system
- A waiting period for HO to approve my reforms
- An understaffed graphics team

A slow previous grading system
The previous grading system required that multiple graders grade signatures together and at the same time. Because of that there was little time in the day when people could grade. The graphics team is an international group. We're going to live in different time zones and that's going to inherently limit this grading approach. The first day I was head the backlog was already at about 5 pages.

When I came on we came up with a new grading system that allows graders to grade at any time and then at the end of the week grades are approved. Every week on Sunday and Monday I approve grades.

A waiting period for HO to approve my reforms
xQC joined the NSFL exactly 14 days after I became the graphics head when the backlog was at its largest. I applied for the job on April 12th, was installed as the new head on the 13th, on then on the 15th I submitted my graphics reforms to HO.

During the time that HO was processing the reform requests I asked the graders to stop grading to keep members from losing out on money in the case that the reforms passed. And they did pass, so this was a good call in my opinion. The previous scale went from 1 to 5 and did not offer nearly as much money for high grades.

Unfortunately April 15th to 19th of 2020 (the day HO approved the reforms) was Wednesday to Sunday and weekends are prime grading days for graders due to school and work being on weekdays. Essentially a week of grading was lost due to the waiting time.

An understaffed graphics team
xQC if you're reading this I think I should point out that the reason I joined the graphics team in the first place and ultimately became the head was because I had been unhappy with the grading times myself. Instead of getting angry and belligerent though my first message privately to Nokazoa (the previous head) was the following:

[Image: eOye5GV.png]

When I became the head the graphics team was comprised of:
- @Nokazoa
- @DonnoMania
- @KoltClassic
- Buttersquach
- Myself

When I inquired I was informed that Donno had some personal issues come up, which is understandable, so he needed to miss a week. NSFL is just a big game and life comes before games.

Buttersquach had taken on too much to handle and as I audited the department I found that I would need to let him go.

The graphics department was essentially barren. Donno did come back to grading by the time became the head though, and one of the first things I did was hire 2 graders @LimJahey and @rapideagle.

This season I have hired three more graders after losing Nokazoa from the team: @Lime, @RenoJacksonHS, and @Thor.

The new graphics team is now:
- DonnoMania
- KoltClassic
- LimJahey
- RapidEagle
- Lime
- RenoJacksonHS
- Thor

3.) The third thing I want to address is the work ethic of the department. This is probably the issue that frustrates me the most.

Code:
But what disturbed me the most…is the work ethic in general behind the department. I couldn’t believe that graders were straight up telling me “our quota is to grade THREE minimum topics PER WEEK” and that is exactly what they were doing…despite being month+ behind, despite having people just sitting around twiddling their thumbs waiting, nothing was happening.

If you have an issue you come to ME and then I decide if what you're saying is worth a damn. If you have issues with something to do with graphics you come to me, don't badger my graphics team members. Their job is to grade, not deal with angry people. That's how it works in every situation where a manager exists. You yell at the manager, the manager takes care of the issue.

When I came on the quota was three and I said from the start within the graphics team that I wanted to raise it but I would do a test run for a season and decide if I want to raise it or not. During this offseason I did a survey among the graphics team members and within that I asked for their thoughts on whether or not I should raise it to 4 or 5. We're going with 4 this season based on the feedback and we'll examine the backlog next season then decide if we want to raise it again or leave it at 4.

4.) The fourth thing I want to address is the survey.

Code:
SURVEYED: 100

REPLIED: 78

NON-RESPONSIVE: 22

SATISFIED WITH GRADING: 12/78

SATISFIED WITH GRADE TIMES: 0/78

COMPLAINED ABOUT GRADING?: 20/78

So, what I have learned about this experience? That I am not alone in this frustration and that I am not in this fight for the wrong reasons. I have so many ideas on how to spruce up the graphic area, I have so many ideas on how to not only maintain the interest that is there, but open up the possibilities to more people and draw interest, but alas, I am just one person that holds no power in that direction or dictation.

You act as if this is some sort of novel piece of information, but as I said in the thread, "Nobody, including myself, is happy with how long the grading for graphics takes."

I wasn't happy before I was on the graphics team, I wasn't happy when I joined the graphics team, I wasn't happy when I started as the head and a season later I'm still not happy. But you know what I am happy with? The fact that according to quantitative values regarding the actual number of graded submissions per season we saw an immediate increase the 1st month that the new grading system was implemented (Graphics Department Update #2 http://nsfl.jcink.net/index.php?showtopic=22686).

SYAC:

January - 52
February - 41
March - 62
April - 52
May - 77 <- the first full month of the new grading system being used
June - 46 <- June to be exact 12th (with only two graders meeting their quota so far this week)

My goal has actually been to get the backlog down to a single page and have all submissions graded within a week of their submission date.

[Image: LfNad2p.png]

5.) The 5th thing I want to address is your "goal"

Code:
What is my goal from this? Well, I am hoping for some change. I am hoping for more consistency, I am hoping for more people to really take it seriously, and use their platform and their positions for good. I know that people can commit the problem is, they just aren’t committing at all at the moment, and it’s quite depressing.

This is beyond me. The fact that you think people don't care is naive. The fact that you think we're actively creating a problem when our goal has been to improve graphics from the beginning and that empirically it is working is surreal.

I just don't even know what to say to this. I feel like I'm being scolded by a child.

6.) Lastly I want to address this:

[Image: SU1cL29.png]

As someone who manages a team of software engineers as his literal job I have learned a thing or two about managing teams. One of the things I've learned is that your team members need to be able to work together with the manager and the rest of the team. I do not believe this is within your capacity.

If you would like to know the reasons you were not hired they are the following:
1.) Your feedback was not in line with what I want from my graders
2.) I was informed you had become the co-GM of a team and I like to use the graphics position as one for new members without a job to learn about having a job in the NSFL and for experience when applying for a position such co-GM in the future
3.) I feel that your behavior since you joined the NSFL has shown that you are arrogant, conceited, and disrespectful. And your reply to your rejection only proved me correct.