August 4: Newbie Badge Shows in Chatrooms
Hey Everyone!
We were all new once! We know how it feels! @heather recently created a problem solving thread related to the Newbie badge. You can check it out here.
The problem we are trying to solve is - New listeners and members entering group chat rooms don't always feel acknowledged or welcomed. They can find it difficult to get involved in the conversation and leave feeling unsupported.
As many of you noticed, last Friday we pushed this live. I apologize for not making an annuncement sooner. The Newbie badge now shows in all of the chatrooms!
If you see a Newbie, Please make them feel welcome, give them a warm hello and show them what 7 Cups is all about. Being new can be scary, so its our job to make people feel like they belong.
The badge expires after 4 weeks!
Thank you!
Laura
Hi Laura! I recently submitted a suggestion regarding who does and doesn't have the badge, and how it could be better used. It involved the badge being linked to number of cheers/compassion, etc. rather than length of time on 7Cups. :)
@StrangePhanatic
hehe, it was you that mentioned it! I replied mentioning that it was mentioned, but I couldn't quite remember who it was that brought it up :3 Kudos :D
@Laura I love, love, love it! So helpful to see who is new so we can really make them feel welcome <3
@Laura
I love this! I have noticed a few people mention this though, and I somewhat agree - people have said that people can get used to 7 cups in a lot less time than 4 weeks, someone said that it could be better to make it disappear after you reach X cheers, or maybe turn it off in your settings or whatnot once you feel like you've gotten a good idea of this or that?
I really do love this though, it gives people a good idea of who to welcome!
@Laura
Laura thank you for thinking of this very important badge. We do all know how to be new felt. And to be unsupported or ignored in a room isnt right. Im so glad we have this and its really easy to see the newbies. Love it
Can we get glitter badges now?????
@RumpleSteeleSkin @Laura I second glitter badges! :D
@niamh333
@Laura
wooohoooo Laura can we take a site poll on the "glitter badges" 
@RumpleSteeleSkin
Ah, Rumple. Always asking for glitter badges.
...no but really...can we get glitter badges, @laura? Hehe.
@RumpleSteeleSkin
Did someone say glitter? I want glitter!
@Laura Really love this update! It's a good way to more effiently welcome new listeners/members! I agree with what said above: the 'time' the badge lasts, isn't exactly the best and a set ammount of cheers would be better. Some people take longer, others less time, so would be more 'accurate' to use a different method. But overall? So far, loving it! 
I agree it should be Purple lol. I think it is great to see and I know that everyone likes having it when they are new. 
@Laura Thanks for the announcement! I like the idea a lot, newbies might need some extra guidance in the beginning of their journey here on 7 Cups and noticing them easier in the chatrooms is a good way to make sure we can focus on them a little extra!
Just as @BurningEmber mentioned, the green colour is quite similar to the mod badge's colour so it can get a little confusing at times. And I wonder if we can link the badge to something else than being on 7 Cups for a certain amount of time. Four weeks on the internet are an eternity, and some people might already be experienced listeners or members in the community after two weeks, others might not get as involved and then return after a few months. I am wondering if we can maybe link it to experience instead? Maybe once some listener or members level have been passed (so connecting it to cheers) and the badge disappearing then, would make more sense to me personally.
@MissZ
I definitely agree with you that the newbie badge should be linked to experience on the site rather than the length of time spent on the site! I know for myself I felt pretty at home at 7cups by the end of my first week, so I imagine many other listeners and members feel likewise!
Hi Everyone! Great feedback!
2 big points -
1) Change the color to purple
2) link the badge to activity, not time.
For point 2, what amount of activity would make sense? What about 20 chats?
@Laura
Maybe link it more to growth points / cheers ? Someone might not talk to a lot of listeners on the member side, but use the member rooms or even the forums, or the feed and get points that way. Maybe even tie it to a level. Once they pass the newbie or embraced level?
Amelia suggested 30 1-1 chats
what do you think?
@Laura
Listeners can "graduate" from Newbie relatively quickly (I've zoomed through 500ish cheers in an evening without realizing it). In my opinion, the Novice level, as far as cheers goes, seems more reasonable for the purposes of the badge -- especially if someone's more focused on support in the forums. Since the Newbie badge shows in the room, and the most frequent questions from listeners with the badge are chat-related, it seems like tying it to chats is logical. That being said, the majority of listener questions we get in the LSR involve 1-1 chats, whether it's being unsure of site policy regarding a specific topic, or needing guidance with a chat topic they're unfamiliar with. I think a threshold of 30 chats makes sense in this context.
@Laura
No, I think it should be linked to cheers. Someone may not talk to a listener for a while and only post in forums or chat to people in the chatrooms, yet still be considered a newbie weeks later. Whilst another may lose their newbie status before they even enter the chatrooms after talking with a listener. I think it should be based on cheers as they are earned by all manner of things around the site which shows their activity levels.
@Laura
580 cheers! Or 30 1-1 chats. Could be tied to both. Some people won't take as many chats and might spend more time in rooms. :)
The idea is great! :)
@Laura
I like this update! I can see who is new so I can welcome them. :)
@SilentSerenityy the only problem is in a group chat some people obnoxiously point out that I'm a newbie listener when I try to help people
@TheCaringCookie
That is annoying but you can say that you have done your training and you are just as willing and helpful as other listeners! Members may steer towards more experienced listeners, but not always, whilst you increase your experience taking chats. :)