Foundation Mission Request: SupNERD S8 [CONTRIBUTIONS] #285
Description
Proposed Foundation Mission Request: Support NERDs provide critical support to the community in the [Optimism Discord](https://discord.gg/optimism). This allows users to be quickly onboarded into the ecosystem and the culture in a safe and moderated space.
Intent: A set of interoperable Stage 1 chains doing $250M in cross-chain asset transfers
Total grant amount: (20,050 OP) 7,150 OP for Lead (max, based on performance), 5,200 OP for 2 SupNERDs (max, based on performance). 2,500 OP for Hotline events.
Should this Foundation Mission be fulfilled by one or multiple teams: 1 Lead, up to 2 SupNERDs.
OP Labs or Optimism Unlimited Sponsor: opJulian
Submit by: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Selection by: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Start date: July 24 2025
Completion date: Start date of S9.
How will this Mission help accomplish this Season’s Intent?
In order for Interop to succeed we need users to be excited and informed about the happenings of the Superchain. Additionally, users need to be onboarded and helped through common issues. SupNERDs also moderate community spaces, keeping users safe.
What is required to execute this Mission?
The SupNERDs consist of independent community members who volunteer to support and grow the Optimism community. This season's mission for SupNERDs is an iteration of the previous season’s Mission Proposal. These modifications were done in collaboration with existing SupNERDs to improve both their experience, and the quality of contributions.
Changes can be summarised as the reduction of leads to 1 Lead SupNERDs who will manage SupNERD contributions and tracking. The number of SupNERDs has been reduced to 2 inline with nerds feedback from S7. This season will also introduce SupNERD-Reserves. Reserves will be able to move up into SupNERDs if a nerds activity drops below the acceptable minimum. The rubric for “active” has also been updated from S7.
All applicants need to meet the following criteria:
- Complete and pass KYC. This is a requirement to get any role or reward in the program.
- Been a member of the Optimism Discord for at least 6 months.
- Completed the GravityDAO conflict resolution training course (self paced). Please provide your certificate of completion (or a screenshot of it with your handle as the name).
- This is a requirement for the SupNERD role. Reserves who would like to be considered for the SupNERD role will need to complete it before being considered.
- Applicants will be selected based on past activity and quality of engagement, in collaboration with Leads insights.
- If you are a new nerd who would like to be considered, it is recommended to take the rubric and score yourself for a few weeks. If you are scoring consistently above 20 reach out to the lead with your rubrics and proof of why you gave each of the scores over the weeks.
SupNERDs Responsibilities:
All SupNERDs will be scored according to the SupNERD Activity Rubric. This rubric has been iterated from S7’s rubric. NERDs are scored by the lead based on quality of answers, duration of activity, and actions completed. This rubric allows us to move away from “messages as activity” which has proven to be an unreliable metric that creates perverse incentives to spam the server and users. The rubric scores nerds in the below areas. The NERDs rewards are based on the score.
- Days of activity: SupNERDs should be active for at least 4 days a week for the week to be considered active.
- Quality of answers for user questions: Ensuring that answers for users are high quality, correct, and concise. There are additional points for answers that take the user through the next steps or other relevant applications or programs.
- Talking to members like people: The vibes are important! This criteria ensures that users feel like they are talking to a person and not a bot.
- Spam & scam management: This includes removing spam messages, warnings to spammers, and channel hygiene.
- Point dispute resolution:
- Should a nerd believe they have been unfairly scored, they can dispute their score(s) by providing screenshots of each of the interactions they believe should increase their score. This will be reviewed by the Lead and Mission Sponsor. Note that if a nerd repeatedly unsuccessfully challenges their scores, they may be penalised for spamming the system.
- SupNERDs will also all need to weekly rate the activity of the Lead based on the rubric. This will be monitored by the Mission Sponsor.
Should a SupNERD need to take time off (life happens) they can give notice to the leads for how long they will be away. During this time the next qualifying Reserve nerd will take their place for those weeks. After the specified time they will be able to return to their role, and the reserve will move back to being a reserve. Note that the nerds score must be above 20 before taking time off, otherwise they will need to earn their spot back afterwards.
Should a SupNERD become inactive for one (1) week or fall below activity minimum score for one (1) week they will lose their role and become a reserve. The next qualifying reserve will take their role. For the week that they failed to reach the score minimum they will not receive rewards.
NERDs who are found to be closing tickets without resolution, speaking inappropriately with users, discussing price or market movements, sharing or failing to remove scams or spam, or otherwise abusing or acting unprofessionally in their role may have that week's activity struck. Depending on the severity of the violation and the number of previous violations the NERD may lose their role or be banned from future participation in the program.
Activity Rubric:
Performance based rewards:
SupNERD Lead Responsibilities:
- Monitor & weekly record SupNERD contributions and activity based on the activity rubric.
- Provide feedback to SupNERDs regarding contributions, ticket support, conflict de-escalation, fact checking answers, etc.
- Correct any incorrect nerd answers in the SupNERD only channel, schedule nerd time off in DMs and other basic people management.
- Create and maintain a SupNERD FAQ list to assist nerds in finding the right answer quickly.
Should a Lead become inactive they will only be rewarded proportionally to their active weeks.
Hotline:
- SupNERD Lead will announce Hotline events (such as airdrops, incentive campaigns, etc. Lead should not inform nerds what the event is until approved by the Optimism team) and take applications for Hotline support. Nerds will be ranked by contribution scores and the top nerds will be picked.
- SupNERDs, Lead, and Reserve NERDs (KYC’d nerds) can all apply to join Hotline support.
- Short term events:
- Short term Hotline events (like an airdrop) last 3 days, with a maximum of 6 nerds. Each nerd is rewarded 50 OP per day of the event. Nerds need to meet all the regular criteria (above 16 points) as well as be online (measured through OnDuty role) for at least 8 hours for all 3 days.
- Long term events:
- Long term Hotline events (like campaigns or incentive programs) can last up to 5 weeks, with a maximum of 4 nerds. Each nerd is rewarded 250 OP per week of the event. Nerds need to meet all the regular criteria (above 16 points) as well as be online (measured through OnDuty role) for at least 6 hours for 4 days a week.
- Long term Hotline events end when the time runs out, or the Discord activity drops back to normal (measured through the Discord developer stats).
- Hotline nerds do not score the Lead, that is only for the two selected nerds.
How should progress towards completion be measured?
- Discord engagement (through the Discord Developer Server Insights).
- Discord user quality: Are channels filled with productive conversations? Are users getting correct answers quickly?
- Hotline support: Are programs, airdrops and incentives well supported?
Please note: All of the contributor roles and associated rewards described here are intended for independent and engaged community members who volunteer to provide their knowledge and expertise to the Collective and receive an honorarium in the form of OP. These volunteers are not employees of the Collective, the Foundation, or any of its affiliates for any purpose.
Application Instructions
SupNERDs:
To apply for this Foundation Mission, please complete this application form. Existing SupNERDs MUST reapply through the same link (even if you have filled this application form in before). NERDs who have applied but NOT COMPLETED KYC WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.