Part III: Resources

Facilitator Q&A

0. How do I delete postings? 

You can't remove a posting once it's been posted. However, you can post a follow-up message with a correction or explanation.



1. How often should I circulate the rules our group has developed? 

How frequently you circulate the rules varies from group to group. If membership on your list changes regularly it's good to circulate them every few months, or when you've noticed several new people sign up. Also, if a problem arises that the rules address, you can re-post them to remind everyone of the group's code of conduct.



2. One of our users always quotes the entire message they're responding to and adds their comment at the bottom. What do I do? 

Email them privately explaining the inconvenience they are causing the rest of the members on the list, and show them how to quote selectively. Warn them that their comments may be missed if people can't easily find them. Include a sample of effective quoting, and invite them to practice responding with you a few times before going back to the list.



3. Some people seem to be dominating the list, and others we rarely hear from. How can we achieve a better balance? 

As in face-to-face facilitation, you need to make sure everyone's engaged in the discussion, and make space for those who aren't making themselves heard. Check in with those you aren't hearing from to find out why they aren't posting. Also, on the list, acknowledge those you've already heard from and request participation from others who have been quiet. It may also be time to check in with the group to see if the list is meeting their needs. See if the original list purpose is still valid and/or if you need an additional list for separate discussions.



4. Everyone seems to post to me directly, instead of to the list. It's doubling my workload. How can I get them to stop? 

First of all, make sure that your list has been set up so that replies go to the list. You can check this yourself or ask the service provider. If the settings are correct, perhaps people aren't sure if their postings are relevant and they are writing to you to be on the safe side. Remind individuals that they can feel free to post directly to the list. You can also do a posting to the group reminding them of the purpose of the list and the issues that are relevant, to increase their comfort level.



5. Our list has been running for six months, and someone new just joined. How do we bring them up to speed? 

There are many ways to include newcomers that depend on how you've set up your list. As long as your "info" file is up to date, they should get a good overview of what the list is for and how they can participate. You can point them to any summaries you have done recently that provide highlights of the group's work. If your list has an archive, you can have them start there to skim through the past postings to get caught up. Be sure to welcome them on the list. Follow up by private email to see how they are doing.



6. I run a list where information on the same topic will be coming from a variety of sources. How can I prevent duplicate messages that will annoy everyone?
   
   Here are three possible solutions: 
0. Make the list moderated, so that every posting goes to the listowner who will ensure that only one copy of each report gets posted. 
1. Make arrangements with your group so that different people on the list have exclusive responsibility for covering certain issues. 
2. Set up two lists: one open to everyone for discussion, news, etc., and a separate moderated one just for reports.
   
   
7. Can viruses be transmitted through mailing lists? 

Yes they can, but there are precautions you can take to avoid this. The good news is you cannot get a virus from exchanging ascii (text-only) messages. However, you should make sure that each person uses current anti-virus software if you will be using your list to exchange file attachments. 

Posting Guidelines

Be brief 
Limit your postings to one or two screens in length. Particularly in the South, many people must pay for the volume and number of messages they receive. Be considerate of this constraint and post pointers to sources of further information (e.g., yourself, URL, etc.). 

Be readable 
Make sure your text-only messages are easy to read: use blank lines to unclutter them, and format them as carefully as you would a more formal document. 

Address messages correctly 
Make sure you address your messages to the correct list address. Often, there are a number of addresses associated with a list: the listowner, the list itself, and the machine that runs the list. If you're replying to a message, this shouldn't be a problem as replies should go directly to the list. 

Watch your language 
If your list subscribers don't all speak the same language, avoid using slang or idioms, unless you're prepared to explain them. If your group is able to work in multiple languages, beware of accented characters. It's best to remove accents and post plain unaccented text unless you have confirmed that everyone's software can cope with them. 

Give your postings clear titles 
When you post a new message or a reply, check the subject line to ensure it reflects the content of the message. Label your topics clearly to give readers an idea of what to expect. 

Use headings such as Event:, News:, Info:, Draft:, URGENT:, Summary:, etc., and provide some context. Limit yourself to 35 characters (including spaces) or less, to make your Subject line fully readable. For example, PROPOSAL: Global Women's Networking. 

Text is easiest 
Post your messages in plain text ONLY. Do not send file attachments unless your list is specifically set up to handle them. Regardless of hardware and software differences, everyone can read plain text online (also known as DOS text, ascii text and text only). If you need to share a non-text file (e.g., a formatted Word document, a spreadsheet, etc.), suggest that those who have the appropriate software to use the file request it directly from you via private email. 

Give options 
When citing additional resources, remember that some people in your group may not have full WWW access. Be sure to provide alternative ways to get the information. For example, you can provide the address of a Web-to-email gateway (see the Setting Up Your List section for more information). Or, you can offer to get the resource for them and email it to them. 

Avoid fancy fonts 
When using wordprocessor software, compose with a non-proportional (fixed) 10 pitch font like Courier, to avoid posting a messy message with full lines followed by line fragments (which happens when you use proportional fonts, like Times, etc.). When in doubt, send a test message to yourself first. 

Identify yourself 
Sign your messages with your name and email address. Some software fails to capture the sender's name from the header, making it impossible to follow up privately. 

Use private email when appropriate 
When you would like to have a personal discussion, or if you feel offended by a particular message, send a message to the individual involved only. 

Quote selectively 
Quoting someone's previously posted text is very helpful when done correctly: 

• if there is a long "header" on the message (the information at the top of a message that shows how it traveled from system to system to reach its final destination), delete everything but the name/ID of the person you're quoting and the date and subject line of the message
• quote only the individual pieces you're responding to, and insert your responses right after the quotes to help everyone follow your logic
• only repeat enough text to help you build on the original point. 

Indicate your tone 
Sarcasm, irony, and humor can backfire online. "Smiley" symbols such as :-) and :-( viewed sideways are universally used to show smiles and frowns and, when added to the end of a sentence, indicate you aren't being too serious. 

Create single-subject messages whenever possible 
This makes it easier for people to respond to the original topic. If there are several issues raised in one posting, offshoot conversations will start up under the one topic making it harder to dig them out when you need to in the future. 

Don't hesitate to start a new topic 
If what you want to say doesn't fit into any of the existing topics, start a new one. If you're responding to an existing topic, but your response engenders a new thread of discussion, start a new topic and point people to the new one in your response to the old one. It's also good to separate out any documents (e.g., proposal, summary, strategy, etc.) that result from discussion as their own topics, so that they're easy to find, rather than burying them in the responses to the original topic. 

Re-read your messages 
Once a message is sent, it's gone forever. You can't get it back. And when you're sending it to a group it will be around for quite some time. Be sure to re-read your messages before you send them, particularly ones dealing with sensitive issues, to make sure the words you have typed are really communicating what you intend to say. It's easier to make changes before the message leaves your computer, than to make apologies or give explanations to a larger group after the fact. 

Don't shout 
Typing your messages in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS comes across as SHOUTING online. It's also hard on the eyes. Regular sentence case is the norm, although some people tend to the other extreme of all lower case, which seems generally acceptable also. 

Warn before long messages 
If you must post a long or large file, warn readers at the top of the message about the size and content, so they can skip it if they wish. Better yet, just tell people you have the file and those that are interested can email you for a copy. Access and downloading charges are particularly expensive in the South. 

Forward selectively 
When you forward to the list a message you've come across elsewhere, leave out the big, long header and just forward enough so that everyone can see the source of the posting. Also, include your own comments about why you're sharing the forwarded posting. 

Ask before posting email 
ALWAYS check with the original sender before copying a private email message to the list. They may have had a reason for posting to you privately that you aren't aware of. 

Limit your cross-posting 
If you see something relevant to the group elsewhere online, tell people what it is and where to find it, rather than re-posting the whole thing (unless it's really short). They may have already come across it in their online travels, and don't want to see the same stuff everywhere they go. 

Develop tolerance for informality 
Messages online tend towards informality. Many people choose to write in their own unique mix of upper and lower case characters, and use more free-form punctuation. You'll also notice a lot more spelling mistakes online than offline. Mistakes tend to be the rule rather than the exception as people often type their responses quickly, and are conscious of the time it's taking them. Avoid critiquing typos unless they occur in critical places, like addresses, phone numbers, URLs, etc. 
 

Further Reading

Anatomy of High Performing Teams: A Leaders Handbook, M. Laiken, 1994, OISE Press, Toronto, ON. To order a copy, send a message to: utpbooks@utpress.utoronto.ca 

Working Together Online, Maureen James and Liz Rykert, 1997, Web Networks, Toronto, ON. See http://community.web.net/wto for more information. 

The Skilled Facilitator -- Practical Wisdom for Developing Effective Groups, Roger M. Schwarz, 1994, Jossey-Bass Inc, San Francisco, CA. 

Collaborating -- Finding Common Ground for Multiparty Problems, Barbara Gray, 1989, Jossey-Bass Inc, San Francisco, CA. 

Managing Projects in Organizations -- How to Make the Best Use of Time, Techniques, and People, J. Davidson Frame, 1988, Jossey-Bass Inc, San Francisco, CA. 

For more information on the last three books, see http://www.jbp.com or email webperson@jbp.com 

Also, you will find a good introduction to online group collaboration at: http://www.oise.utoronto.ca/~arojo/forums.htm 

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Copyright 1998 © Held by the authors 
pub@idrc.ca | 6 February 1998 
Source: http://www.idrc.ca/books/848/rsrce.html