Grants:TPS/nwhysel/IASummit2016

This Wikimedia Participation Support request was funded in the fiscal year 2014-15. A report is available.

statusfunded

Travel & Participation Support

IASummit2016

summaryPromote collaboration between the Information Architecture practitioners and the Wikipedia community.

event locationAtlanta, GA

event websitehttp://www.iasummit.org

event date(s)May 5-8, 2016

amount requested$500

home countryUSA

creator• Nwhysel

submitted on17:50, 18 February 2016 (UTC)

Create your report

Learn about reporting

Proposed participation

I am a Wikipedian who has been increasingly involved with editathons in New York City since completing my MLIS degree at Pratt Institute School of Information. I was a delegate to the Wikipedia USA Conference in October representing Wikipedia NYC. As an information architect, I have been interested in creating bridges between the Wikipedia and IA communities. I am particularly interested in the linked data capabilities of Wikipedia and Wikidata as it is a growing topic among Information Architects and increasingly affecting how digital environments are structured and built.

At the 2015 Information Architecture Summit in Minneapolis, I encouraged members of the IA community to edit Wikipedia. People were drawn in by my poster session on Information Architecture in Wikipedia, where we talked about the ways IAs could uniquely contribute to Wikipedia. Three local Wikipedians attended an edit-a-thon that I organized, enthusiastic to help any people who attended. I was invited to write an article on IA in Wikipedia for the ASIS&T Bulletin, which increased interest in potential editing and collaboration with the Wikipedia community.

Last year, I created a WikiProject: Information Architecture to pique interest among the IA community in Wikipedia editing, with the ultimate goal of showing IAs how their knowledge and expertise contributes to engaging Wikipedia users. While I was originally interested in getting more IAs involved to develop Information Architecture topics in Wikipedia, it is becoming increasingly clear that the IA community is equipped to collaborate with Wikipedia on its own technology development and projects.

I am proposing to continue exploring a relationship between the Wikipedia and IA communities at the 2016 IA Summit in Atlanta through hosting a second editathon along with Atlanta Wikipedians and possibly as a co-marketing sponsor. With the WikiMedia Foundation's help I will be able to secure activity space and potentially an in-kind community affiliate table during the IA Summit where I can distribute Wikipedia information, stickers, pins and encourage IAs to participate in collaboration.

Goal and expected impact

My goal for this event is to get more information architects involved with Wikipedia: what it is, why it aligns with their own work and how they can be involved. Last year's editathon in Minneapolis was a good start. This year I want to propose it as a part of the event's annual "game night" which is an informal, social event, and plan to invite members of Atlanta's wikipedia group to facilitate.

Ideally, we will increase interest in IAs in not only becoming editors, but also collaborating with WMF on improving the Wikimedia products. As a member of the IA community I would like to represent WMF and build bridges to ensure that our communities support each other. Over time, the benefit to WMF of a collaboration with the IA community will be improved architecture and user experience based on sound information architecture practices.

Budget breakdown

• Travel: USD $235
• Accommodation: USD $100 per night x 3 nights - USD $300 / 2 = $150 (I was able to find a roommate to reduce this cost)
• Registration: USD $625 ($475 with METRO grant))

I am seeking ways to reduce and/or cover these expenses through alternate means and would appreciate whatever support WFM can provide. So far I have also received a $150 grant from the Metropolitan New York Library Council toward the registration fee. I have also applied member discount and a special discount code for having participated on the session curation team.

Other instructions

I can book my own travel arrangements. If WMF has a discount and can reduce the costs, I would be happy to have you book the flight. Advance disbursement is not required.

Endorsements

• Noreen brings a broad scope, multifaceted skills, and tenacity to her work. I am delighted to see her applying herself to Wikipedia's needs. Tomlzz1 (talk) 23:49, 21 February 2016 (UTC)
• Noreen is a very engaged information scientist and has experience forging bridges across groups. This would be a great opportunity for such a connection. Lange.lea (talk) 18:29, 23 February 2016 (UTC)
• As a former co-chair of the IA Summit and an organizer of edit-a-thons, I enthusiastically second Noreen's insight. The IA and Wikipedia communities have much to gain from one another, and Noreen is a great ally to that collaboration. Verbistheword (talk) 18:43, 24 February 2016 (UTC)
• Noreen's work in IA and Wikipedia is important to the IA, Wikipedia, and larger web communities. As a co-founder of the IAI, I'm happy to endorse this collaboration which will greatly benefit many, diverse users. User:bevcorwin (talk) 17:02, 27 February 2016 (UTC)
• Very grateful for Noreens work for open source and open content community at OWASP User:jmanico (talk) 11:18 HT, 29 February 2016 (UTC)