A proper brief is necessary

When I see contests with over 50 participates, with over 200 submissions and every single one of them is rated no thank you, I see how Squad Help has failed. It’s quite evident that the CH is having a problem with translating what they are thinking in their mind to placing those ideas into the input boxes on their computer screen.

Our abilities are limited to what we can see and read in the brief. We cannot ask a question and see a facial expression or hear a tone of voice. And even our typed messages have several limitations.So, it’s SH’s responsibility that the CH writes a proper brief, that they can type into those little boxes what they are looking for. Because if a CH can’t do that, then we all lose.

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I don’t see it as SH failing, I see it as something that may need improving. However, even though I agree with points of this, I will also defend that there is only so much that SH can do. Contrary to what you said, here, [quote=“Arnet, post:1, topic:2288”]
it’s SH’s responsibility that the CH writes a proper brief[/quote]

it is not their responsibility. Actually, it is the responsibility of the CH – first and FOREMOST – to do their research, reading around the site, and contacting SH if they don’t understand something. However, I will agree that there may be times or ways in which SH may be able to step in to help if such does occur. On that note, though, creatives are more than able to post a message in the contest messaging center to try to help (positively) direct a CH that more information may be beneficial to them or ask for more information that may benefit the contest and ALL creatives. Creatives are also able to contact SH and allow them to know that a certain contest is not going well in a case like this (as I have done so) and then SH KNOWS about the contest and will proactively communicate with the CH and check in on them to see if there is anything they can do to help.

With this said, SH can only do so much and yes they may be able to do more as more of these become frequent or contests like this become abandoned. However, for one, they are not actively monitoring every single contest at all hours of the day, so sometimes when this happens, they don’t even know that it has happened. And I’m sure that the CH’s of these contests – sometimes when this happens-- reach out to SH saying that things are missing the mark and wondering what is going on. See, you have to take into account the SH is providing the platform and the community of creatives. A CH themselves have certain responsibilities in order to make their contest work for them. I am a full supporter of long, detailed, well researched briefs and CHs that stay in contact with SH and are active, give feedback, don’t go away for days on end, don’t abandon a contest, expand on their brief and comments and posts in messages about what they are wanting if things aren’t going well.

However, nothing is ever perfect and there is only so much anyone can do. Those of us that have backgrounds and knowledge of branding know that the name of your business or product is not something to be willy-nilly about, and that you have to put a lot of time, research, understanding, analysis, and other things into making sure that you come up with and/or find the perfect name. Some people understand this and some do not. That is why SH offers certain services and design certain algorithms, and employ support people to be there – but it is really the CHs responsibility to know when they are in over their head or they aren’t being specific enough or they aren’t realizing that short 8 letter words as domains are hard to come by (or whatever else the problem may be). SH may be able to help in different ways than are current, but I don’t hold them to be responsible for the CHs writing proper briefs.

Perhaps some suggestions can be made to pop ups that occur when so many ratings are done like this (as have been suggested) or perhaps there are other suggestions that could be made to help with issues like this. I am not full of ideas for this, but I don’t see them as having failed – just needing improvement – but half of that is CHs need to put in more time and effort and if they can’t or don’t know what to do to listen to creatives, respond to our questions in message center when we try to engage them, and finally to reach out to SH if they ae having so many difficulties.

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[quote=“rareworthy, post:2, topic:2288”]
CHs need to put in more time and effort and if they can’t or don’t know what to do to listen to creatives, respond to our questions in message center when we try to engage them, and finally to reach out to SH if they ae having so many difficulties. [/quote]
Yeah that ^ - For example, there is an active project right now where the Creatives are literally begging the CH for more information, and she just keeps saying “Be clever/clear.” :confused: