h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This weekend we made quite a change to the way that h2g2 works. We closed the open bug reporting system. This wasn’t actually an easy decision to make, but it was a natural one.

When we took over the code for h2g2 we looked at it and nearly panicked. We’re a small team of volunteers, and we were handed a massive website that needed a lot of work to get it ready. It wasn’t just the code, it was also all the pages that needed updating to reflect the change of ownership. One of the things we did then was to start up a trouble ticket system to use off site where we could track everything that needed to be done, and it was a lot.

Once we got the site up and running, we then had to look at how to keep it running. The volunteers are spread out over the globe, across many different time zones. Even the team leaders, those that make up the Core Team are spread out all over the place. When we try to get together to discuss things some people are about to go to bed while others are just getting up for breakfast. This is not the easiest thing to manage I can tell you.

So how do we do it? Well, mostly by a lot of time and effort, and the use of some pretty good software.

Firstly there’s Skype. We’ve got several chat windows open in Skype all the time. There’s a general volunteer chat where everyone can talk about anything relating to what we’re doing on site, then each team has its own chat window for things that are specific to that team. Here for instance Tavaron can get messages out to the rest of the Artists, get feedback and discuss ideas about how a new image library should work, or about picture sizes for the new front page, or even chat about how best to use different image editing software. Lastly there’s a Core Team window, in this one there’s all the team leaders, and in here we chat about cross-team issues and overall site stuff. By doing this, it doesn’t matter what time zone the volunteer is in, because the backlog of any chat is there whenever they next log in, and we’ve got into the habit over time of not making any knee-jerk decisions if we can help it, so every volunteer that should have a say can have a say.

Secondly we use something called Trello, it’s a scrum system message board type thing. It allows us to plan out what we’re doing for the future. As an example, each entry that’s entered into Peer Review gets a new “Card” on the Guide Editors board which gets moved through “Lists” such as “With Sub Editor” and “Awaiting Image.” The same entry will also get a card on the Artists board so they can track its progress too, from assigning it to an Artist, through ideas which can be discussed, to resizing and uploading ready to be added to the entry itself. This system allows volunteers to dip in and out when they’re able to and see what work needs doing, and report back on what they’ve done.

Between these two things we’re able to co-ordinate all the volunteers across all the time zones to do all the work that’s needed to keep h2g2 running. All the Core Team check into Skype and Trello first thing in their mornings, usually before they’ve had their first cup of tea or coffee, and check in last thing at night before they go to bed. And, at any time day or night across the world there’s almost certainly someone online.

It’s the use of these tools that has allowed us to be able to do what we need to do, efficiently to the best of our abilities. Because we’re all volunteers, we have to make sure that what we do, we do with the least impact on our real lives, in other words, without wasting time or effort.

This is why it’s a natural progression for us to close the current bug feedback pages. We’ve got an off-site trouble ticket system that’s far more efficient and it makes sense to use it. It allows us to register new bugs, co-ordinate existing ones and the coding volunteers, and get things that need fixing, fixed quicker. Plus, it’s off site and therefore not telling any potential hackers where our weak spots are.

So it’s a natural progression, and it’ll help us to be more efficient in our use of time, which is needed. Some of the volunteers are giving up *all* of their spare time to keep this site running for us, they care about it that much. Rather than spending time with their families, or doing something for themselves, they’re online here. It’s an amazing dedication that they all give, and we need to make sure we don’t take advantage of that.

I was trying to explain how we work, to one of my sisters. I showed her *my* Trello overview page and also the numerous Skype chat windows. What we've evolved is pretty stunning when you step back and look at it.

I'd only ever worked in face to face situations before volunteering for h2g2, but now we have a fully fledged virtual office situation with individuals from all corners of the globe, in different time zones, all co-ordinating pretty much seamlessly. It's pretty astounding.

The time and love that is poured into the site by people is not to be underestimated or understated. Not only is it the first and last things on our mind each day, but we take our communication devices with us, to airports, to work, to the pub. It's a rare occasion when one of us is offline. If we were paid to do this, we'd probably put in less effort and love.

Why on earth do we do it? Because we are passionate about h2g2, and we are committed to its long term success and survival. We also know how many people are reading The Guide, and we just love and honour the memory of Douglas Adams whose brilliant concept this is.

So, thanks to all the dedicated Volunteers, and to the Researchers (old and new) who're here helping.