Can pending merges be reported on home page, profiles and activity feeds?

Question

Would it be possible to show the number of pending "merges waiting on me" on the home page when everyonne signs in as well as on profiles and activity feeds?  I think this would do a lot to focus attention on the need to complete merges in a timely manner.

Answer 1

I agree with the idea of having "pending merges waiting on me" as an option on the (now customizable) Navigation Home Page and Activity Feed. I found this question because I was getting ready to propose it on G2G myself.

If it's an option on the Navigation page, it's something people choose, not something forced on them. There would be no public humiliation, just another way to keep up with an important task. I'd like it as a time saver, so I won't need to remember to check that tab.

We shouldn't feel bad about giving people opportunities to streamline the website and hook their families up to the larger tree.

 

Answer 2

If you look under the tab "find" on your profile page and go to the column for "pending merges" you will see the number of merges waiting for you.  If we add it to the pages as you propose, it would be using more space.  This is only an opinion of course.

Mary

Comments

I think you missed my point.  The fact that I have action required should have a prominent and visible place -- not something that yI have to go and "find."  Also should be visible to others who access my profile.

---

why would you want a prominent place to show the number of pending "merges waiting on me"  for others to see?

That is why they have an Arborist Project. Arborists seek out and merge duplicate profiles.  I'm not sure what your point is.

---

The most frustrating part of Wikitree is how long it takes to get obvious duplicates merged and eliminated.  The process calls for three levels of notification with seven day intervals between each then referral to an arborist and another wait.  Many of the response (when I get any) are that the individual did not know that they had an action.

Why send me a daily email that tells me what I did yesterday and not remind me of what I should have done?

If I go to the profile of someone who is delinquent in acting on a merge, it helps me understand the situation if I know that my merge is their oly delinquency or one of hundreds dating back monts.

In my opiniion, the number of delinquent merges is the most significant item that can be reported on someone's profile.

---

I'm sorry, but I am in disagreement with your thoughts.  The number of delinquent profiles that need merging is because of profile managers leaving, abandoning or by unexpected death. Its not fair to blame everyone for something that happens unexpectedly.

If you have no reply from a profile manager in 3-4 weeks, and you have done everything to contact him, at the bottom of the said profile page that needs merging is a link to a "Unresponsive Profile Manager". This is a form to fill out. You will get contacted and the profile will get merged.  It taked time and you have to be patient.

This is a global community. It takes time.

Mary

---

Phil Smith, when he was leading the Arborists project, suggested almost exactly what Bob is suggesting.

I agree we should do things to remind people they have merges pending.

Mary is right that merges take time. They will never be as quick and easy as people would like. But we can always improve.

---

The Arborist project is to clear duplicates. But, the unmerged matches are for profile managers so they can make a decision. It might be a match but it isn't ready to be merged. Assuming the profile manager is checking these it's not for the Arborist to make the decision in the short term. Obviously, the unmerged match was made for a reason. Yes, there are some that mark profiles this way to avoid merging. Which is a seperate problem which needs  improvement in order to facilitate these merges

If the unmerged match continues to just sit then an Arborist can attempt to make the decision. Ultimately, the decision on the match is up to the profile managers of the two profiles in question.

---

A major concern is that the option to clear an unmerged match seems to be available to only one person - the person who identified it as such.  If I identified the potential merge and know every detail of the profile, I can be stymied by another individual who declares it unmerged and is unable to reconcile the differences.

Why not have a process that leaves the merge visible to all to reconcile?

Answer 3

Bob's suggestion is a very good one in my opinion. If there were display of the number of "merges waiting on me" on our Nav Home Page, viewable for our own eyes, not as a public display, it might nudge more users to work on their pending merges. As a public display, I'm not so sure, since that could be construed as public humiliation :) A to-do list is more prominent when it's "on the fridge door." And wouldn't hurt if it went out with the activity feed, either.

Comments

I rarely look at my profile page.   I do however look at my email.  

If it helps the collaboration process, I would not object to others seeing my list of outstanding merges. I would not perceive such display as blame.  It's just data.

Just another view.

---

I would love to have this in both places - nav home page and an email that came regularly!

Answer 4

Bob this is a good idea. Any reminder that is visual to us is only a plus helping to check those unmerged matches.