This task is about enabling newcomers to opt out of the mentor module. A feature to enable newcomers to choose specific mentors is described in T292068: Have a way for a mentee to select a new mentor and will be considered in future.
User Job Stories
| As a newcomer who values privacy and does not want perceived scrutiny by others | (privacy-conscious) | |
|---|---|---|
| When I | see that I have been assigned an experienced editor as a mentor, | (situation) |
| I want to | be able to be remove that mentor, | (motivation) |
| so that | I feel free from personalised attention by someone to my activities on Wikipedia. | (expected outcome) |
| As a newcomer who wants to be learn about Wikipedia on my own | (no help wanted) | |
|---|---|---|
| When I | see that I have been assigned an experienced editor as a mentor, | (situation) |
| I want to | be able to be remove myself as a mentee, | (motivation) |
| so that | I feel unmonitored and free to contribute uninhibitedly on Wikipedia. | (expected outcome) |
| As a newcomer who does not expect or want unsolicited communications | (unwanted messages) | |
|---|---|---|
| When I | get an unsolicited and unwelcome message from my mentor asking about my Wikipedia activity | (situation) |
| I want to | be able to block or stop further contact from this person as my mentor | (motivation) |
| so that | I can continue using other newcomer features and contribute without seeing their messages. | (expected outcome) |
This third user story may necessitate a future feature that enables a newcomer to not only opt-out, but report or more actively block their mentor, tasked as T292629.
A supplementary benefit of this feature may be that mentors could get less irrelevant messages, per the following reason:
"As a mentor, I don't want to receive so many messages that don't contain substantive questions." Many newcomers send messages to their mentors that don't have actionable substance, the most common being "hello". It is debatable whether such conversation starters are actually a good thing for the newcomer experience, but we could experiment with whether requiring opt-in would screen out some of the newcomers who don't intend to ask substantial questions.
Proposed designs
1. Opting out
- The newcomer may access the opt-out modal can be accessed via a new overflow menu item on the mentor module, or via a link in the “About mentors” dialog (also new, see T292627).
- Upon selecting the "Opt out" button, they are shown a confirmation message.
- We may wish to show an optional "why did you opt-out?" question on the second screen. If this is descoped, then it would simply contain the confirmation that the newcomer has opted out.
- All copy is TBC.
- Opting out will revert the mentor module to a new opted-out state of the Mentor module on Desktop, on Mobile, they will return to the newcomer homepage with the mentor preview module in a new opted out state (see below).
2. Opted out state of mentor module
- The mentor module goes into this new state after the newcomer opts out of mentoring.
- The Desktop module is as shown, with text and a quiet icon button to bring up the "opt-in" modal.
- On mobile, there is a new opted out state for the mobile preview only, since there is no mobile mentor module. Selecting anywhere on the mentor preview will bring up the "opt-in" modal.
- All copy is TBC.
Further notes on proposed designs:
- Newcomer are default opted-in, but will have additional context/information provided about the feature (per T292627) and are given a clear CTA to opt out.
- Opting-out will unassign and detach the newcomer from their mentor. This is so that the mentor will be prevented from reaching out to mentees who have opted-out. The mentee should be removed from the mentor's dashboard and from their ability to filter to them in Recent Changes.
- If the newcomer opts back in, they should not receive the same mentor as before. We should randomly assign them a new mentor.