Communications
In Idaho, we use Google Hangouts (GHO) to chat with local editors and area/state/regional management. There is also a northwest area GHO, which has a similar mission but serves Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming so there are many more editors in there who can assist. Most of the northwest's State Managers have area management over Idaho, so you can more quickly get help by joining these channels.
To receive an invite to these GHOs, please send a PM to SkyviewGuru (Idaho State Manager). The GHOs can be used to ask editing questions, request unlocks, or even socialize about non-Waze things if you want.
We also have a Slack channel for the northwest region in the Waze USA team that you are welcome to join.
Visibility
While editing in Idaho, editors must not use Invisible mode. Editors are not required to socialize in chat, but are expected to respond to inquiries about their edits if questions about them arise. If you decide to minimize chat, please consider using the WME Chat Addon so that you can be "pinged" if somebody needs to talk to you.
Coaching
All editors of Idaho need to be willing and able to accept coaching from any area/state/regional management, as well as peers and outside area management, and then use that coaching to make appropriate corrections. We maintain a strong community by being on the same page with how the mapping should be done. The goal in coaching is to help you improve the experience that Wazers will have when using the app. It is not meant to criticize the way you have gone about a solution, but rather refine it to exceed the needs of our Wazers and to meet the standards set for the map.
You may receive inquiries by Personal Message (PM) if you aren't able to be reached in WME Chat, GHO, or Slack. Please respond ASAP to any messages you receive (the expectation is a response within 48 hours under most circumstances).
Disciplinary Action
Editors that do not respond to inquiries about their edits, choose not to make appropriate corrections after being coached, and/or cause deliberate damage to the map, etc., may, depending on severity, receive consequences including but not limited to: mandatory formal mentoring, temporary suspension of editing privileges, and permanent loss of editing privileges.
Update Requests
THE FOLLOWING GUIDANCE IS A PENDING DRAFT AND IS STILL AWAITING FINALIZATION FROM STATE AND REGIONAL MANAGEMENT
An Update Request (UR) is a Map Issue reported by a user from the Waze client app. It is also a layer in the Map Editor. For more information on Update Requests, please refer to the Update Request Wiki Page This guidance is not a rule, but a recommendation and in some cases, Update Requests will need to be left open longer than the seven day timeframe.
In Idaho, we have "adopted" at 0/6/7 system for response to Update Requests. 0/6/7 is the short way of explaining the following.
Day 0
At the earliest possible convenience for an editor, an editor should investigate the available resources shown from the data provided by Waze and other legal sources.(GPS Trace, Route, Location and GIS Maps) to determine if a valid error occurred and attempt to Solve the report if possible. If an error is not obvious, then the editor should comment on the UR seeking such information. This comment begins the 7 day waiting period.
The information in the original comment should contain:
- Approximate Location
- 7 Day Comment Period
- Reply using Waze Inbox, not email.
- Editor Name (Optional)
- Editor Rank (Optional)
Example:
"Hello! Thanks for your report from X St and Y Ave. Unfortunately, no other details came through with your report. Please let us know any details that will help us identify and resolve the problem and we'll be glad to get this resolved for you!
Please reply within 7 days using the Inbox within the Waze app (do not reply to the e-mail itself). Thanks! "
-EditorName
Volunteer Map Editor
Day 6
Once the sixth day since the original comment, and there is no other comment from the reporter, the editor should politely remind the reporter that they only have 24 hours to comment on the report before it will be closed.
"Hello! Sorry to bother you again. I have not received a response regarding your report. In order to investigate your report, I need further information. Please respond within 24 hours or your report will be closed as "not identified". Thanks! "
-EditorName
Volunteer Map Editor
Day 7
URs may be closed due to lack of reporter response, provided at least 24 hours have elapsed since the Day 6 Reminder Message (Day 7 since original comment)
"As we were not provided the requested information, we are unable to continue investigating this issue and are closing the report. Feel free to report map issues as you travel, but please understand that most issues require additional detail to investigate and resolve. Thanks!"
A UR which is closed due to inactivity should be closed as "Not Identified." A UR which is closed with a change to the map in any way, should be closed as "Solved."