HDX E-mails

Owned by Serban Teodorescu
Last updated: 14 Aug 2018 by Michael Rans

Edited 10 August 2018

We're about halfway through our project of reviewing HDX email workflows. As of today, incoming emails are handled as follows:

SourceRoutingWorkflow/Next Steps
Message sent to centrehumdata@un.orgAppears in un.org Outlook for Sarah, Javier, CJ, Stuart, Becky, and KareemIf no response/handling from a team lead within 48 hours, Becky to request handling from relevant person. 
Message sent to hdx@un.orgAppears in un.org Outlook for Sarah, Javier, Ahmadou Dicko, Joseph, Godfrey, Dan, Kareem, and BeckyDPT (usually Godfrey but currently Joseph Marindi) typically responds within 48 hours. If no response within one week, Becky to request handling from relevant person.
Message sent to hdx.feedback@gmail.comForwards to hdx@un.org. We're scrubbing all references to this email address online and no new outgoing messages should be sent from Gmail. Over the long term we will look to eliminate this address completely.
Message sent via HDX FAQ pageForwarded via SendGrid from noreply@humdata.org to hdx.feedback@gmail.com.Dan to change routing from hdx.feedback@gmail.com to hdx@un.org. Otherwise unchanged.

We're also developing SOPs for email handling. Currently we have three:

  • Replies to incoming messages should be sent from a generic account (i.e. centrehumdata@un.org or hdx@un.org, not elbayar@un.org)
  • Replies should be signed with the name of the individual who has responded (i.e. “Joseph Marindi on behalf of the HDX Team”, not “HDX Team”)
  • Messages that are responded to should be moved from the Inbox folder to the Archive folder of the relevant account (be careful not to accidentally move to your personal un.org email Archive folder).

Over the long term, we will develop additional SOPs including a standardized signature for all outgoing messages + standard responses to common emails such as requests for volunteer info and new HDX org creation.

For automated outgoing emails we are still reviewing the workflow process. The ones we have collected so far are listed here.

This page will be updated as our email review project continues.