AGA priorities

[daniel_the_smith]

At the board meeting last night, the board agreed to talk about setting some priorities for the orginization in the coming year.

Two items were proposed already (more online services for members, and rank certification (for amateurs)). There will be more discussion at the next board meeting. What do you think the AGA should attempt to do in the next year?

Specific items that could be accomplished in a year or so if the board can manage to remain focused on them would be most helpful, but if you have ideas that don't necessarily fit that criteria please share them anyway, it may spark ideas in others.

[Jedo]

Securing sponsors for tournaments/events

[daniel_the_smith]

Securing sponsors for tournaments/events

I'm happy to say that efforts on that are ongoing.

[Joaz Banbeck]

... online services...

This is rather vague. Got any details?

[Kirby]

I know it probably won't happen, but I would still like hard-copy material (eg. a go magazine or newsletter in paper format).

It's more expensive than doing it electronically, so it probably isn't feasible. I would still like it, though.

[p2501]

I know it probably won't happen, but I would still like hard-copy material (eg. a go magazine or newsletter in paper format).

It's more expensive than doing it electronically, so it probably isn't feasible. I would still like it, though.

We have that in Germany, but it has repeatedly been brought up to change it to digital rather than hard copy to free up money for other projects. But it seems like it will stay - the majority (at least of the people voting on this ^^) seems to like the traditional way.

[daniel_the_smith]

This is rather vague. Got any details?

Not off the top of my head. If there's any particular thing you're looking for, do tell.

@everyone who hasn't responded: I know there's more of you with opinions, let's hear them!

[LocoRon]

I know it probably won't happen, but I would still like hard-copy material (eg. a go magazine or newsletter in paper format).

Absolutely. I'm still bummed that the yearbook switched to an electronic format (if they do offer the hardcopy, as they say the eventually will, I will definitely be claiming a copy).

[jts]

This may be the wrong place for this question. But if you asked me what the AGA's #1 priority should be, I would say "Go education, of course." And then I could start daydreaming about what form that priority should take in the 1-year plan. But when this has come up in previous threads it's been asserted that the AGF handles all Go education efforts in the US. So what exactly is the relation between the groups? Why doesn't the AGA pursue go education projects in parallel? Do they see any sort of promotion of the game as falling in their jurisdiction?

[pwaldron]

This what I provided off the top of my head to another board member last year. Take it as you will:

Membership services
i) implementation of a membership login system to usgo.org so that members can receive customized content.
ii) 'dating website' type interface to allow isolated players to find each other and start chapters
iii) historical analysis of membership -- how long do people stay AGA members? Why do they leave? How long does their membership have to be expired before we're unlikely to see them renew?

Chapter services
i) simplify method of updating chapter contact information (a common complaint)
ii) provide simple templates for less tech-savvy chapters to create their own webpages. The standard AGA chapter webpage would have a page for club information, a Google Maps link to the club meeting place, an announcement page and an online photo gallery.

Tournaments
i) TD training manual to allow an inexperienced but motivated player to run their own event
ii) annual online tournament open to all AGA members
iii) The results of all major AGA tournaments should be posted to usgo.org as a matter of course -- when I left the tournament coordinator position everything was done, but updates are much less common now.

Ratings
i) analysis of whether online games should be included in the same ratings pool as face-to-face games
ii) rank certificates

Volunteers
i) a volunteer job board to help recruit and retain talent -- the volunteers I have spoken to after they left have had the universal feeling of being used. It's not a way to build an organization.

Sponsorship
i) demographic analysis of AGA members -- to help attract sponsors interested in targetting a particular audience.

Youth
i) historical analysis of whether youth players remain AGA members after losing their youth subsidies -- with that information the board can decide whether the current youth efforts are working to provide long-term members to the AGA

Communications
i) create repository of teaching and publicity material on usgo.org to help chapters and teachers
ii) create an asian studies curriculum for elementary school students with go as part of the program -- the Europeans have already done this; the AGA just needs to get the material from them.

Clearly this is too much for five years. My guess is that the AGA might be able to finish three items. But the board should figure out what are the necessary resources required to implement each item (technological, financial and volunteer) and prioritize. After that the president should deliver a more detailed statement of the work to be done for the targetted items, an action plan, and criteria for measuring progress and success. He can provide periodic updates to the board on progress.

[daniel_the_smith]

@jts, I can't answer your specific question. But, would it be fair to say you think the AGA should be promoting/publicizing go awareness among the general populace?

@pwaldron, that's exactly what I was looking for. Membership services i) is currently in progress, and Chapter Services i) is either done or in progress. Your other items are, I think, either very good ideas or urgently needed.

@everyone else, more suggestions! I will make a poll thread after this one dies down to try and get a feel for the importance of the various items.

[jts]

@jts, I can't answer your specific question. But, would it be fair to say you think the AGA should be promoting/publicizing go awareness among the general populace?

Yes, although what I specifically had in mind was go awareness among children and educators.

[daniel_the_smith]

@jts, I can't answer your specific question. But, would it be fair to say you think the AGA should be promoting/publicizing go awareness among the general populace?

Yes, although what I specifically had in mind was go awareness among children and educators.

Noted. Now, the hard part: is there something specific you can think of that the AGA could do over the next year or two in this general category?

[xed_over]

Securing sponsors for tournaments/events

I'm happy to say that efforts on that are ongoing.

sponsors ultimately come from fans of the game

the AGA needs to better support fans of Go in order to gain more sponsors.

but present, there is little to no support for fans -- how many know there's an online tournament going on this week to send a representative to China for the 2nd BingSheng tournament? I tried to throw together a quick (text only page) on the website, but the tournament director needs to better communicate to 1) ejournal (there was a story), 2) webmaster (no pages), 3) go server admins, 4) the AGA tournaments room on KGS, 5) forum postings, 6) club email (is the ejournal enough?), 7) calendar of events, 8) profiles of our top players, 9) profile major "local" events, etc.

Help fans follow the game, and eventually you'll get more sponsors too.

I understand there was extremely short notice from the host (for this week's BingSheng), but it was the same short notice as last year. Where's the followup? Complete the pages and info after the fact if you have to, but at least complete it, then we'll be better prepared for next year when the host will likely again wait until the last moment to invite us.

[oren]

Noted. Now, the hard part: is there something specific you can think of that the AGA could do over the next year or two in this general category?

Set aside some prize money for elementary, middle, and high school team tournaments. Organize, publicize, and help get teams started. Find some people willing to TD, set schedules, and create the rules for play.

I know there was something for high school stuff before, but it doesn't seem too easy to find right off the bat. I think team tournaments from schools should have its own top level link on usgo.org.

Universities should follow as well... create some competition out there.

Edit: Found high school tournament through Tiger's Mouth link, http://aghs.cc/