Learning and Evaluation/Archive/DoDonts

Program Evaluation & Design: What we can do for you and what we don't do for you.


The Program Evaluation & Design team aims to support the Wikimedia community of program leaders regardless of affiliation, and to support the evaluation and design of all programs. There are many things we can do and there are some things we don't do.

FRANK: Do/Don'ts with ***asterisks*** in the section header are one's I'm struggling with

What we DO

We do advise on survey questions and design

We will provide you feedback and advice on developing surveys. We can review your questions, help you with the design of it, and provide you advice on how to distribute it and how to evaluate the data you do gather. You can ask for feedback via the Parlor or Sarah and she'll illicit team feedback for you via your preferred method (email/talk page/etc).

Wiki Metrics is one of many tools you can use to pull data.

We do case studies about the most impactful programs to share with you what makes them so successful

We will be writing case studies about the most impactful programs. Through your evaluations, we'll be able to learn about what programs those are, and work with the program leaders to develop those case studies. Sharing these case studies will allow the Wikimedia community to learn how to improve their own programs, and will allow us to develop a shared learning.

We do develop tools and resources over time to help you evaluate your programs with your feedback and help

Rome wasn't built in a day”, so we have to work collaboratively to create and develop the right tools and resources to support your evaluation. Through surveys, requests for comment, and transparency we can work together to create great evaluation tools to be used cross movement.

We do encourage appreciative inquiry as we proceed to grow the awesome

We're advocates of the appreciative inquiry model of evaluation. Through appreciative inquiry, we're able to look at what is the best and most successful about our work and programs, and learn from it. Rather than focusing on the negative and what is wrong with our programs and work - we're thinking positive, and celebrating the good to make the work we do in the movement more awesome.

We do ensure a friendly and safe space for all in our Program Evaluation & Design spaces

Whether it's on meta-wiki or on our Facebook group, or at an online or offline workshop, our team ensures a friendly and safe space. Check out our friendly space policy and if you are considered with any activity taking place in any Program Evaluation & Design spaces, please contact Sarah for assistance.

We do help guide you in telling your program story

Each program has a story — why you decided to do it, the steps to make it happen, the people and process involved, the outcomes from the program, and the next chapter you hope to write. We're here to help you tell that story.

We do help you discover ways to pull data

Are you looking for the right tool to help you gather data about your GLAM content donation? Not sure how you can use Wiki Metrics to learn about the retention of participants from your workshop? We're here to help you discover the best ways to pull data for your programs. Just ask!

We do host online workshops, meetings and hangouts

We frequently host online events — via Google Hangout and IRC. While we can't always meet with you in person, we can meet anytime via the web. Contact Sarah if you have an idea for an online event, or if you would like to schedule IRC, Hangout, or Skype time with any of the team members. You can often find us hanging out on #wikimedia-pedconnect.

We do provide feedback about your reports, evaluations, case studies and related documents

We're happy to provide you feedback regarding any reports, evaluations, case studies, and so forth, that you create for yourself or your organization. You can ask for feedback via the Parlor or Sarah and she'll illicit team feedback for you via your preferred method (email/talk page/etc.).

***We do share with you what programs achieve which impacts and goals as we build a shared knowledge about programs***

Through evaluation you can be discover which programs make the biggest and best impacts. As our team learns more about the goals and impacts of your programs, we'll be sharing with you what programs we think are making the best impact on the movement, and how they are doing that.

We do share evaluation stories via social media

Have a story you want to share via blog about your program? Want to share your success about using Wiki Metrics, or how your program retained new editors? We've got just the places for you to do that. Stop by our Facebook group and share your success, or contact Sarah, who can help you draft blog for the Wikimedia Foundation blog. Share your story!

Participants at the first Program Evaluation & Design Workshop, June 2013.

We do support all program leaders and all programs

Our team supports program leaders regardless of their chapter, affiliate, organization, or involvement as an individual in the Wikimedia community. We also aim to support evaluation and design in all programs.

***We do workshops and site visits about evaluation and design***

We will be doing workshops at community conferences and at specially designed events internationally. As we progress with program design, we'll also be doing site visits to meet with community members to see what types of programs they're doing. We can't wait to connect with you in person to make the impact of your programs even bigger.

What we DON'T

We don't collect or pull your data for you

While it can be tempting, we can't pull your data for you. However, we are happy to support you discover ways to pull your data.

We don't design your programs for you

A program leaders self-created logic model for her program.

We will support you in providing advice on how to design your programs, including tools and resources, like case studies, we'll develop to make program planning easier. But, we can't design your program for you.

We don't intend on forcing anyone to do evaluation and design

So no, this is not a "top down" approach, which means the Wikimedia Foundation is not forcing anyone — chapters, affiliates, individuals, volunteers — to do program evaluation and design. We hope you will, and we're here to help you learn why it's important to do.

***We don't make any decisions about money***

Nope, we don't touch that stuff. We are here to help you design and evaluate programs. If you're interested in talking money, you can visit the grantmaking department.

We don't tell you what programs to do

We will never tell you what types of programs you, your chapter, or organization should be doing. You can use the resources we provide to make that decision yourself!

We don't tolerate trolling

We want to make sure that the Program Evaluation & Design spaces — online and offline — are friendly spaces. While we do tolerate trolls, we don't tolerate trolling. So keep things positive, encouraging, and supportive.

We don't write your reports, evaluations, case studies, or related documents for you

While we're happy to provide feedback, we are unable to write or co-write your reports, evaluations, case studies and related documents.

We don't write, design, or distribute your surveys for you

We can advise you on survey questions and design but we can't write, design, or distribute your survey for you.