New feature that would allow the closing of a question via migration to any *.SE site through an automated close/moderator flag process

Question

Related question: Why is meta.ux.stackexchange.com the only choice for migration?

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As a result of the answer I received to the aforementioned related question, I thought I'd see about asking for a feature request.

With respect to migrating a question to another *.SE site, in his answer, @BennySkogberg stated:

So what do we do? Personally I post a close vote as off topic, either by the options predefined, or write my own custom close reason. After that I flag for moderator attention with the simple words "Migrate to GD.SE?". When a mod see the flag, he (there are only he-mods here) uses the dialogue above to post an imediate close and migration request (if it's a valid flag).

Being a moderator for SharePoint.SE, he showed what they have for migration:

As you can see, they have a box that allows them to type in and search for a site in the *.SE network.

My feature request is to have something along the lines of what @BennySkogberg already does, but automating it.

Here's what I would suggest:

• When closing a question by clicking Off-Topic > This question belongs on another site in the Stack Exchange network, the Migration modal should have a box that let's us type in and/or search for a site to migrate the question to.

• There should be a Vote To Migrate button and when clicked, it should be just like other closing flags, in that it requires 5 votes to suggest a migration for site mods.

• Once the 5 votes are received, the system automatically creates a flag for moderator attention with default text of Migrate to Xxx.SE? or something similar, as @BennySkogberg suggests.

• At this point, moderators could then get together and discuss whether or not the best decision is to migrate or just plain delete it if they can't find a fit.

This way meta.ux.stackexchange.com isn't the only choice for migration and allows people to attempt to correctly close a question by choosing to migrate.

Thoughts? Comments? Questions?

Answer 1

Migration is a delicate topic, and if I read the discussions on meta.so, I come to the conclusion that this should be a moderator only decision. The most important reason is that there is ambiguity built in some of the question where mods from different SE-sites do discuss whether or not to migrate.

This is further specified on the meta.SO post Closing/Migrating question instructions/guidance:

Belongs On {site}

This should be used when a question is clearly intended for a different site in the Trilogy. This should only be used when you can clearly identify exactly which site the question should be on.

For example:

• Configuration of a client on a Windows domain will likely belong on Server Fault.
• Installing Windows on a PC will likely belong on Super User.
• Developing a tool to aggregate information from various servers via WMI and ASDI will likely belong on Stack Overflow
• A question about why one of the above belongs on its appropriate site clearly belongs on Meta Stack Overflow.

As you can see, there is some ambiguity in most of the above samples, but they all have a fairly clear home, based on the missions of the site.

When Should This Not Be Used

I'm with Jeff Atwood: When in doubt, don't migrate. Unlike other closures, migration is damned difficult to undo. Once migrated, the original question is locked, which takes closure to a new extreme by preventing commenting. Additionally, there is the possibility (actually, likelihood) that the OP does not have an account on the migrated-to site.

This should only be used when you are 100% certain that not only does the question not belong on the site where it was asked, but that it absolutely does belong on the site you are targeting with the migration.

Of course one could argue that the users of the site should moderate its content, what does and what doesn't belong here. And we do by closing. But deciding whether or not a question should be migrated to another site is very different, and need the governance of a moderator. Users here have no forum to discuss migration issues which moderator has.

To conclude, I think current rule of the system is correct and that it should stay as is.