BACKGROUND
USQ is revamping the rules creation process for future rulebooks, starting with the 2022-23 season. The USQ Gameplay Department seeks to gather input from internal and external stakeholders to review and update the rules. USQ will trial a three phase process in summer 2022, and based on feedback, a more permanent process will begin in summer 2023. Christian Barnes (USQ Gameplay Department Manager) and Ashley Dolan (USQ Rules Team Lead) will head this process.
Those interested in being involved with the project can apply for two volunteer opportunities through the USQ year round volunteer application form. Position descriptions are available below as well as these links:
Rules Committee Member
Feedback on the current rules can be submitted now via the following methods:
Filling out the rules suggestion form
By emailing rules@usquidditch.org
Later this summer, the USQ Gameplay Department will lead a focus group to assess the rulebook changes for clarity and understanding. The team will collect interest in this focus group at a later date.
RULEBOOK CREATION PROCESS
RULES COMMITTEE
The rules committee will be a team composed of USQ staff and interested community members to discuss significant aspects of the game and rulebook changes. This committee will make suggestions in three categories: removal, addition, and major change.
This committee will meet between June 6 and July 18 to review responses from the rules suggestion form, feedback from end-of-year surveys, and suggestions from USQ staff teams.
RULES TEAM
The rules team will be a group composed of USQ volunteers. Members may serve on both the rules committee and the rules team.The rules team will work on editing the rulebook text after reviewing suggestions from the rules committee. Starting the week of June 20, rules team members will begin discussing and voting on how to implement changes to the rulebook for the 2022-23 season. Between June 20 and July 25, the rules team and rules committee will go over newly drafted changes and major elements presented to complete the first draft of the next rulebook. Major changes that will be covered in the new rulebook will then be posted in a rulebook update by July 31.
RULES FOCUS GROUP
Participants of the rules focus group will be chosen based on interest and recruitment by the USQ Gameplay Department Manager and USQ Rules Team Lead. Invitations to the focus group will be sent on a rolling basis from now through the week of July 18. After the rules focus group members are selected, meetings for feedback regarding the drafted rulebook language will be scheduled. Between July 25 and August 15, the rules team will assess feedback from the focus group to finalize changes to the rulebook for publication by September 7, with a specific focus on clarity and understanding.
TIMELINE
June 1 onward: Interested parties apply for rules committee, rules team, and/or rules focus group
June 6 to July 18: rules committee reviews feedback and submits major areas of change to the rules team
June 20 to July 25: rules team and rules committee create and review new drafted language for the next rulebook.
Early August: USQ releases a changelog with a summary of notable changes
July 25 to August 15: rules focus group reviews the most current rulebook language and provides feedback to rules team
August 15 to September 7: final update of rulebook is finished and published
Questions or feedback can be directed to rules@usquidditch.org