Chapters Dialogue/Further Information/Questionnaire

Research questions for the Chapters Dialogue

The collection of questions has been discussed and completed in our Chapters Dialogue session at the Wikimania in Hong Kong. It was then tested in the first interviews and re-fined based on the experiences and the feedback we got. Find the first draft of the collection of questions here.

You can still add questions that you think should be included in the interviews. We will consider all contributions, but we can not guarantee to include every single question in our interviews. Please consider that this will be not a standardised questionnaire, but rather a guideline for the interviews. We are looking forward for your input! --Kira Kraemer (WMDE) (talk) 16:49, 29 August 2013 (UTC)

In the course of our iterative approach, the questionnaire kept changing continuously. If you are interested in elder versions, you can view the history of this page.

Questions for Chapters

Each interviewee will be informed in advance about two important points: First, every answer can be marked as “anonymous” by the interviewee. We want to avoid that answers to questions are influenced or “softend” in order to avoid possible issues. Second, in the interview we are addressing the interviewee as a representative of his or her organisation. However, some questions are asking for a personal point of view which is significant for qualitative research.

Introduction

• When did you start being active in your chapter & what is your Wikipedia history?
• What fascinates you most about Wikipedia?
• Why did you create / join the chapter? What motivated you to shift from the Wikipedia to Wikimedia activities?
• What is your occupation (if volunteer) and what work are you doing in the chapter?
• What motivates you to do this work? What do you enjoy most about it?

Roles

• Do you think that the entities in the Wikimedia universe share the same goals and the same mission?
• Where are the differences (e.g. in “how to achieve the mission”)?
• Who are your stakeholders?
• What is the value (e.g. services, support, advice) you are offering to the movement / for your stakeholders / what do you want to achieve with your work?
• Are Chapters important for the movement and why?
• What is your main goal / your main focus? (more editors, political work,..)
• Are you representing the community? Are you part of the community?
• Should all Wikimedia members be Wikipedia editors?
• What are you proud of about your own chapter? (Strengths)
• What do you think could be done better in your chapter? (Weaknesses)

Relationships

• How does the Wikimedia universe look like in your imagination?
• What is the role of the WMF?
• How does the WMF see the Chapters? Is the WMF proud about your work?
• How empathic is the WMF towards your chapter, your context, your problems and needs?
• What do you think could the WMF be worried about?
• Where does this anger & parent-kid role come from?
• What would you REALLY need from the WMF to be able to do your best?
• Imagine: You are the WMF now. What would you do in order to improve the situation?
• The most annoying thing / problem that never got solved / clarified. Why is it still around?

Other Affiliates

• What kind of chapters are you communicating with? What is the relationship based on? (e.g. projects, exchange of knowledge, friendship)
• You as chapters are you supporting each other? Or is it more like competition?
• Is the geographical model adequate for the movement organisation? User Groups / Thematic Organisations.
• Do you share learnings and failures? If no, why not?

Internal

• Board:

• • What was your motivation to hire your first employee? (If chapter has staff)
  • How did you get funding for your first employee? (If chapter has staff)
  • Pro/Con external staff?
  • How does your board define itself: as a decision-making body, as an advisory body, as executers of the different programs/projects,..?
  • Describe the transition phase from executive to governance board. Did any conflicts between board and staff emerge? What are crucial steps? (If chapter has staff)
  • Are there conflicts between board members and staff?

• • Do you plan to hire staff? Why? (If chapter has no staff)
  • What kind of staff are you looking for? (If chapter has no staff)

• Staff:

• • How does your board define itself: as a decision-making body, as an advisory body, as executers of the different programs/projects,..?
  • Do you feel fully supported and valued by the board?
  • What kind of working conditions would you need to improve your work?
  • Are there conflicts between volunteers / community members and staff?

Development

• How long did it take for you to formalize?
• Can you handle the requirements of FDC? Necessity vs. Overload? What would be a fun way to do it?
• Do you seek funds outside WMF? Financial independece?
• How do you cope with the applications for grants / funds?

• Do you get sufficient support by AffCom/FDC, if you had any contact with them already?

• How do you find / activate new volunteers?
• Do you have a role model? Who inspires you? What is your idea of an “ideal” chapter, if there is such a thing?

• Do you think that the professionalisation of chapters is the “right” thing for the movement?
• In your opinion, does WMF or any other entity carry responsibility towards your chapter?

• Where are you aiming at with your chapter? (e.g. strategic planning, professionalisation, programs & projects)

Future

• Where do you see your chapter in 5 years?
• Where do you see your relationship with other chapters in 5 years?
• What is your biggest dream that should come true for Wikimedia universe?
• What is your biggest worry?

Learning & Sharing

• What would you like to know or to learn from chapters, affiliates and other entities?
• Do you have learnings from projects or your organizational development that need to be shared with others?

Chapters Dialogue

• What do you expect from the Chapters Dialogue?
• Are there any questions you have missed in this interview?

Questions for Stakeholders

Introduction

• When did you start being active in your organisation & how did you end up at Wikimedia?
• What fascinates you most about Wikipedia?
• What work are you doing / what is your job and what are you responsible for?
• What motivates you to do this work? What do you enjoy most about it?

Roles

• Do you think that the entities in the Wikimedia universe share the same goals and the same mission?
• Where are the differences (e.g. in “how to achieve the mission”)?
• Who do you see as your stakeholders?
• What is the biggest vaue (e.g. services, support, advice) you are offering to the movement / for your stakeholders / what do you want to achieve with your work?
• What are you proud of about your organisation / commitee? (Strengths)
• What do you think could be done better in your organisation / commitee? (Weaknesses)
• How do you picture the Wikimedia universe? How does it look like in your imagination?
• How would you describe the role of your committee in the Wikimedia universe?
• How would you describe the role of the WMF in the Wikimedia universe?
• Role of “the community”?
• Role of Chapters?

Chapters

• In your opinion, what do Chapters contribute to the movement?
• What are the strengths of chapters in your opinion?
• What are the weaknesses of chapters in your opinion?
• Do you know what their biggest worries / problems are? What do you think?

Professionalisation

• Chapters consider themselves as “Enablers” for volunteer work. Do you think it’s important to support volunteer work with paid staff?
• In your opinion, what influence does the professionalisation of chapters have on the movement? What are the biggest risks on their way to professionalisation?
• Is the new rule (2 years UG before Chapter) an reaction to the “too fast professionalising chapters”?
• Do you think they need some seedfunding at the beginning in order to get going?
• Do you think Chapters require some form of help (support, advice) from your committee / the WMF / another organisation?
• Many Chapters feel frustrated by metrics / reports / applications for grants & funding - do you think they underestimate the responsibility that comes with money?
• If you could start from scratch with a white piece of paper, how would the Wikimedia movement look like?
• The most annoying thing / eldest narrative that never got solved / whose time has come to leave?
• What topics and goals do you see on the chapters’ agenda? What tasks do you see rather on their agendas instead of the WMF’s?
• Do you think they should try to get fuds outside WMF or do you think this would bear even higher risks?

Relationships

• WMF vs. Chapters - where does this separation / anger come from?
• Why do Chapters perceive the WMF taking the decisions about funds distribution, while it’s actually the FDC (for FDC funds).
• Some people perceive the WMF as being remote, with few empathy for the local context of others. What do you think about that?
• How do you see the different roles & relationships of WMF & Chapters: Parents-Kids or Partners? What would be the best thing in your opinion?
• Do you think that Chapters understand the value of your work?

Communication

• What would you need to know from Chapters? What would improve your cooperation?
• What do you think they would need from you in order to deliver the best value to the movement?
• How should an appropriate communitation look like?

Future

• Where do you see your organisation in 5 years?
• Where do you see your relationship with chapters in 5 years?
• What is your biggest dream that should come true for Wikimedia universe?
• What is the biggest threat for your organisation and its work?

Learning & Sharing

• Is there anything you would like to learn from Chapters?
• Do you have learnings from projects or your organizational development that need to be shared with others?

Chapters Dialogue

• What do you expect from the Chapters Dialogue?
• What questions would you like us to address in the course of the Chapters Dialogue?

Contact persons

• Nicole Ebber (email) as the head of the International Affairs unit, Wikimedia Deutschland
• Kira Kraemer (email), project manager for the Chapters Dialogue
• Delphine Ménard, vice-president, Wikimedia Deutschland, but really just a chapter curious gal