Upwork, can we talk about transparency?

[renata101]

Hi,

I recently noticed that registering a few upvotes with a freelancer whose opinions I like has actually  resulted in her vote count on the leader board decreasing.

Can someone explain this process?

[the-right-writer]

Interesting way of counting upvotes. Apparently it isn't freelancers voting, or in control of the count.

Edited: Have to ask Mykola where he found the info because I couldn't find it.

[renata101]

Hi Jeanne, 

I'm going to try upvoting you as well (because I know you must have said something sensible in the recent past that I could reasonably agree with). 

[elyannie]

It could be a bug

[spectralua]

It isnt a counter. It is percentage. Other user took extra votes.

[the-right-writer]

A percentage of what? The number of total posts?
If so, what a waste of tech. Put the time and money

into detecting scams.

While I appreciate everyone's upvote, I will look at

the ones in the forum, if we can use that tech for the

betterment of the platform.

Edited: I probably know the answer, if I look at history. I'll ask anyway.

If it's percentages, why doesn't Upwork indicate it is percentages?

[spectralua]

Voted post from all posts, something like that. In any case it is one of many useless cool things for newbies. Like forum badges. Users happy with such ratings, badges, votes..

Scammers give profit: clients counter, jobpost couter, activity. Noone will fight with them. Strange question, you aleady know the answer. 😉

[the-right-writer]

Well, isn't that just a wonderful service! I'm so glad Upwork did this, it just means they are putting the money and tech where it should be. Somehow, they have solved all of the problems of their making and have moved on to this stuff, making more badges, etc. I must go and check out the scam-less job feed with great clients.

Thank you for not answering my question 🙂

[yofazza]

actually  resulted in her vote count on the leader board decreasing

Maybe it only totals the upvotes for the last 30 days or something, counted to the seconds because it's actually more straightforward to program so the numbers can go down (or up) a few times a day where it also have some caching mechanism (not updated in real time).

I'd also like to know where Mykola get the idea of it's being a percentage 😁

[renata101]

Okay. I know that correlation doesn't imply causation, so it may have been a coincidence.  But I kudoed 5 and it dropped by 5. 

I'm experimenting with someone on the leaderboard. I'm going to come back in an hour to see how it goes. 

[feed_my_eyes]

.

[elisa_b]

Q: "Upwork, can we talk about transparency?"

A: "No."

End of discussion 😆

[MorganB]

Hi Renata/Everyone!

A great question, and a valid one considering your experience of upvoting a user, but recognising the number has changed although not in the way you would expect.

The ideas floated below about 'last 30 days' are correct, if you click on 'top upvoted members' it will take you to a page that has filters allowing you to see greater date ranges for all posts in the "Freelancers" forum. You can look at last 24hours, 7 days, 30days, 3months, 6 months, last year and all time, and you can really get a feel for who's contributed over a long period, but also who are our recent shining stars!

We are looking at more ways to improve gamification and recognition of users interaction with the community, highlighting current upvotes is just the start!

Have an excellent day.

MBB - Community Manager.

[the-right-writer]

As someone who often appears in the top ranks, I genuinely appreciate the many people who upvote me as a way of agreeing or gratitude for my help. In return, I upvote them, because I am appreciative.

I pay little attention to numbers, badges, etc. in the forum. I do not get any thrill from seeing how many upvotes I have. If they were all sincere, it might be different, but we all know otherwise. There are people who spend their time upvoting every single post. They don't read them, they simply upvote, believing that this impresses people.

If Upwork genuinely wants to support and recognize great contributors, there are better ways of doing it. Instead of wasting all the time and money on the program, the 105 pages of freelancers, etc. Upwork could put all of that into reducing scams and attracting genuine, well-paying clients.

Instead, Upwork wants to recreate the forum with "gamification" - "Gamification is the strategic attempt to enhance systems, services, organizations, and activities by creating similar experiences to those experienced when playing games in order to motivate and engage users." (Source: Wikipedia)

And Upwork thinks this is a good thing? The community that has been the only source of quick access to help, helped keep who knows how many people from being scammed, provided enormous assistance and a place of information and a place to discuss or debate issues, and it is turning into a child's game. We all joked about this when the badges appeared, but with all the issues, serious issues, like shareholder stock amounts, continued attempts to make money, etc. and all the issues with millions of freelancers with no skills, and the scams, surely Upwork wouldn't turn the place into a gaming environment. I guess the casino everyone talks about has consumed the forum as well. Wow, Upwork keeps telling me to take it or leave, but I guess someone stays up late coming up with childish rewards to make up for the problems. Has the average, for lack of a better term, IQ dropped precipitously for the average forum user?

[feed_my_eyes]

Or, if they want to recognise valuable contributions, it should be based on the number of solutions that someone provides, whereas some people get upvotes by doing nothing but complain. Somebody like Clark S., who tirelessly gives profile reviews, ought to be on the list (Upwork, you're more than welcome to give him my spot).