When to use NAA and when to flag Mod --> Other?

Question

Going through my flag history, I noticed a pattern of (perhaps excessively?) using Other -> [Some reason] when flagging for what was essentially NAA. None of them declined, though, but I figured I might be putting stuff in the diamond moderator queue that perhaps didn't need go there.

So I started to move to just use NAA unless I really thought an explanation was required for the flag to be accepted. But as I just saw this declined, I started to wonder whether I was right.

I don't get many flags declined, so I'm not really worried about that, per se. I just don't like wasting my and the reviewers time flagging uselessly, and I don't like to see poor content stay on the site either.

Therefore I'm tempted to only flag Thanks! and elaboratorive questions and similar really obvious as NAA and then go back to letting answers like the one that spawned this question and other, potentially borderline cases go to the Other -> Custom queue.

But before I do so, I would like to know:

• Do the NAA and Other -> Custom go to different review queues, or do they end up in the same place with the diamond mods?
• If there is a difference, what would the mods prefer? (Yes, I have seen How do I properly use the Not an Answer flag?)

Answer 1

NAA and Other both go before the diamond moderators. NAA flags are also shown to reviewers, who usually handle a large portion of them.

NAA flags are intended for answers which make no effort to answer the question - that is to say, the sorts of things that are commonly posted by folks used to other forums where threads commonly drag on for days and can contain multiple related questions, tangential commentary, "thanks" / "I have this problem too" responses, etc. If you're at all familiar with such places, NAA answers will be blindingly obvious to you - and generally to the moderators handling these flags as well.

If you're at all unsure, use a custom flag and be more specific about the problem with the answer.

Answer 2

NAA and Other do go into different queues, yes. The Other queue is a lot longer. You should use NAA unless the situation is utterly confusing. :)

If it takes a declined flag and a reflag to do it… sorry.

(To expand on the appropriate use – use it even if it’s an attempt to comment on another answer that seems relevant but is not an answer. That’s the name of the flag. We pay attention.)