Welcome and thanks for volunteering to be a moderator for the Data Visualization Society! We really appreciate your help in making our community a warm, welcoming and inclusive place to hang out.
Being a moderator largely means keeping an eye on the channel you’re responsible for and making sure people follow the DVS code of conduct. Take a moment to go read it so it’s fresh in mind your mind. Don’t worry, we’ll wait.
Being a moderator adds a couple of other additional responsibilities:
- Keep discussions focused and on-topic. This can mean asking people thread a conversation so it’s easier to follow, or asking people to consider moving their chat to another channel if it would be more suited there.
- Keep it professional. DVS is a professional organisation, so be professional when speaking in an official capacity. Oh, and be doubly careful that you don’t breach the code of conduct yourself - that would be kinda awkward. 😬
- Assume good faith. We don’t have much of a troll problem, so someone breaking the rules is likely doing so because they don’t know any better, not because they’re trying to disrupt the community. Be patient and forgiving. Explain what the rules are and give them a chance to correct their mistake.
- Be transparent. If you need to take action like deleting messages or booting someone out of a channel, write a quick note to the affected parties explaining what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. It’s only fair.
- Ask for help if you need it. Being a moderator on the internet is a thankless task. It’s okay to get overwhelmed, or to question your instincts on a decision. You can always dip into #dvs-moderators and ask for a second opinion if a case is borderline - we’ve got your back. If you need to take a break, temporarily or permanently, from moderating, then please tell us about it so we can get someone to cover for you. Don’t just ghost us. 👻
Finally, if you have any questions then don’t hesitate to ask one of the DVS facilitators over a Slack message and they’ll help you out. We’re all in this together! 😊