There’s a lot to learn from the past 19 years or so of Cantr Staff’s existence (some examples here). This article summarizes how we’re applying that knowledge to roles and responsibilities; we’ll announce some dramatic changes.
Owning Responsibilities
To aid flexibility, the growth of staff members, and clear responsibility, the Game Administration Board has approved a new method of assigning responsibility and decision-making called “Component Ownership“. A component is a part of the Cantr organization or product. A component owner is responsible for the component, so you can think of “component” as “a particular area of responsibility”. A component owner makes decisions by themselves, with verification by a second person where needed or where there is controversy. Decisions can still be made by vote where the component owner is not involved.
Every member of Cantr staff must be responsible for at least one component and report on it monthly. A department or team is a component, and there may be many subcomponents for particular aspects of the game or administration, for example.
This ties in well with Cantr being a place of learning and collaboration. Everyone has an important role to play and every staff member is given an opportunity to prove themselves. Please don’t hesitate to join and we’ll find how Cantr Staff can provide the most benefit and opportunity for you.
One Application, All Teams
Now there’s a single application to join Cantr Staff and the only real prerequisite is to have played Cantr for at least 6 months; even this can be waived. Once in staff, you can choose to undergo any needed training for any team (or department) and take on a specific area of responsibility in that team, if the current owner of that component agrees. This allows more flexibility, encourages collaboration, and leverages the diverse talents of staff members.
Cantr Staff Learning Pathways
Cantr Staff now has a group on this platform: https://spark.edcast.com/
Here every Cantr Staff member can make an account with their @cantr.org email address, take advantage of learning content on Edcast’s platform, get recommended learning content, and share learning pathways with each other. There’s already a learning “journey” for preparing to code for Cantr from the ground up.
We’ve also been improving documentation in every staff department.
Looking for an internship? Cantr offers official internships in a variety of areas and there is one intern right now.
A New Year
Thank you for being dedicated to Cantr and making Cantr what it is: a collaborative story. A lot of sincere work has gone into what Cantr is today, and we’re dedicated to seeing it continue to grow.
How do I join?
Submit this application form: https://forms.gle/FQRqW9o74YFWYtaT6
Speak to Joshuamonkey on Discord or the forum for questions.