Movement roles project/Initial Questions/Responses/Theo10011

Initial Questions

Vision and Mission

• Are you familiar and comfortable with the vision and mission of the Wikimedia Foundation?
  • Access to the sum of all human knowledge for everyone, sure.
• Do you and your organization share this vision and mission?
  • As far as I know.

Strategic Goals

The strategic planning project framed the following goals for the movement:

• Secure the infrastructure
• Increase global participation
• Improve quality
• Expand reach
• Support innovation

With that in mind:

• How applicable do you think these goals are to your role in the movement?
  • Very Applicable.
• How can the Wikimedia movement best meet these goals?
  • The foundation needs to focus on all the priorities and not just one like global participation. There have been fewer attempts to Secure Infrastructure and improve underlying system. Innovation is also a big thing we seem to be losing sight of.
• Should the movement spend its resources on goals/activities of groups that are not wholly aligned with the strategic goals?
  • These Goals are very diverse to begin with, vocally providing support to other aligned causes is probably alright but actively spending resources on goals of any other group would not be in our interest. We have a large and active community that needs a lot of attention and work already.

Roles in the Wikimedia movement

• What role do you see for you and your organization in achieving the vision, mission and strategic goals?
  • I am an active Wikipedian, I have been actively involved in formulating the goals. I consider myself a part of the movement though not at all aligned with my national or geographic chapter.
• What role should other groups play in achieving our movement priorities?
  • The Onus is on the foundation and the community to follow through on these goals. The title of 'groups' here is not very descriptive and needs some clarification first.
• What do these groups need to fulfill this role?
  • See Answer No. 2.
• What do they need from others to fulfill this role?
  • See Answer No. 2.
• What do they need to provide others to fulfill their roles?
  • See Answer No. 2.
• Which interactions with other groups in this movement are critical for each group to play their part?
  • See Answer No. 2.

Entities in the Wikimedia movement

• What should be the core tasks and roles of the Wikimedia Foundation in the movement?
  • To support the Community above all, more focus on the community at large. Securing Infrastructure, Innovation, more collaboration.
• What do you think should be the core tasks and roles of a chapter in the movement?
  • To support the local community and not lead it, they are supposed to be representatives of a geographical area but at times they exceed their position and become the sole deciding voice.
• How should the role of a sub-national chapter differ from a national chapter?
  • Sub-naitonal chapters would give a chance to other voices to organize. It would also make sense in areas like India where a single chapter is expected to be representatives of a billion people.
• What do you see the core tasks and roles of the chapters committee to be?
  • Very limited. To oversee and assist the chapters in registration and provide assistance when needed.
• Are there core movement tasks or roles that are not now adequately served, or that might need to be served in the future?
  • Yes, they are. The foundation needs to put chapters more in charge of reach and global participation while they focus on the community at large.
• What should other and new Wikimedia entities (groups that don’t fall within the current definition of a 'chapter', but share many attributes and goals) do?
  • A special group, similar to the chapter could be considered to offer support to them. Allowing sub-national chapters would be the easiest way to approach this.

Relationships among entities within the Wikimedia movement

• What should be the minimum standards of transparency among Wikimedia entities – the Wikimedia Foundation, chapters, etc.?
  • The appearance people are getting now is that, decisions are made behind close doors and almost enacted and they are merely announced to the rest of the community. Community may or may not complain later but the entire procedure is counter-productive to our movement. Community needs to be informed of the decision making/thought process not merely the finality of the said process.
• What safeguards should be in place between entities to protect the integrity and reputation of the movement?
  • Open mailing lists, frequent announcements, and designated contact at the foundation and chapters, to address any issues and grievances.
• To whom are the Wikimedia entities accountable? (e.g. their members, other entities in the movement, etc.)
  • Not just their own members but the community they represent. They can't make decision for their country/language and not share the responsibility when the decision is questioned.
• What is the right way to include various movement groups in the overall governance of the Wikimedia movement?
  • Better internal structure with clearly defined movement roles. there should be also be safeguards in place so that any grievances can be addressed.

Resources for entities within the Wikimedia movement

• How should resources be secured to support the growth of the Wikimedia movement and fulfilling of the mission?
  • The annual fundraiser seems to work.
• How best to ensure that each Wikimedia entity has the funds it needs to a) survive and b) fulfill its mission?
  • Require each entity to submit a budget at the beginning of the year, they should ideally look to their own geographies to sustain their growth.
• How best to ensure that money is distributed to ensure that the Wikimedia movement achieves its goals in the best way?
  • It should be based on meritocracy - how successful a chapter is, how much resources it requires and how they are utilized and how productive it is within our movement.

Priorities

• To support the growth and sustainability of the Wikimedia movement, what is the one, most important change we need to make?
  • Get back to the community at large and focus on the biggest community first.
• What change could most help you now in your role in the Wikimedia movement?
  • Not affiliated with any chapter or group, no plans to either so my interest are aligned with any other Wikipedian.

Affiliation

• How would you describe your affiliation with Wikimedia?
  • I am a Wikimedian, my affiliation is to their largest project.
• Would you consider yourself to be affiliated with:
  • The Wikimedia Foundation?
    • Absolutely.
  • A chapter? (If so, which one?)
    • No, the Indian chapter is still under development. It's also located thousands of miles away (4 hours by a plane).
  • A project? (If so, which one?)
    • Definitely, I am an english Wikipedian and consider myself affiliated with that project.
  • Another group? (If so, which one?)
  • None at all? (If so, feel free to elaborate.)

Anyone else?

• Is there anybody else you would specifically recommend we ask for their views?