About Katie Expertise I answer questions about the AllExperts service. For example: How does the system work? What are the reasons for this particular policy or feature?
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Experience
BA in Economics (minor in Computer Science),
Columbia University
MS in Technology Management,
Columbia University
AllExperts.com - Same question to multiple experts makes me look bad
Expert: Katie - 5/14/2007
Question QUESTION: Katie, something has popped up lately.
There are two of us answering questions in boat repair. A number of questioners have been posting the same question to both of us at basically the same time. It is too time consuming for me to go back and review the others answers and they may have not posted yet. This is not fair to us as it is playing us against each other and in many cases there can be more than two problems and solutions. Unless we start writing whole service manuals we can't be sure of answering the question or answering the way the questioner wants.
It can make one of us look bad. Can we somehow restrict questions to one per 8 hour period for instance unless it is a follow up?
It is bad enough we sometimes get low ratings for no reason but now this!
Thanks Jeff Grigg
ANSWER: This is not a new occurrence. Questioners have always been able to send multiple experts the same question. We don't discourage this, because when it comes to building an archive of knowledge, two heads are better than one.
Sorry, but I am not quite clear on how it can "make one of [you] look bad". Could you give me an example? Also, why do you feel it is necessary to review the other volunteer's answer before posting your own?
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: A poster asks about why his motor only runs at half speed. I may answer from experience the symptoms suggest the carburator may be gummed up from sitting with stale gas. The other "expert" answers it may be his ignition system. Either one can be right with the amount of information.
He checks further and has something wrong with his ignition system, makes me look bad.
In addition we are not working together on the answer so the two heads doesn't add up. This poster is also taking up more than his fair share of questions. If we each answer 5 each per day he has just taken 20% of the total for the category!
Answer The primary goal of the AllExperts system is to get the most helpful answers posted to the archive. It is not designed to make volunteers "look good". (I've reviewed your past answers and ratings and you really don't need the system's help to look good anyway.)
The questioner may take 20% that day, but since they will stop asking when they get the answer that works, they will only take up .67% that month, and an even less significant amount as time passes.
To prevent abuse, we already monitor and, when necessary, block those questioners who ask the most number of questions per week. At this time, we do not feel an 8 hour limit is necessary, but we thank you for alerting us to this so we can take it into account in future releases.
