Training modules/dashboard/slides/12104-having-realistic-goals

Having realistic goals

Retention of participants in grant funded editathons during 2015. Notice that the survival of users from editathons is very low.

Though editing events can have powerful impacts, experience from the Wikimedia community finds that singular editathons or other editing events with largely new contributors:

Do not have a high retention rate of new contributors, unless a very deliberate effort for follow-up with participants is made. See for example, the outcomes of the 2015 report and the 2013 Report. Contributors during these events may be able to be re-engaged later for other programs or activities, especially if your event is part of a series of events.
Do not create very large volumes of content when compared to the productivity of experienced editors, online writing contests, or to more long-term mentoring of new contributors, like in the Education Program.

While creating a targeted, narrow content addition, editathons work best at:

building relationships with host institutions,
developing awareness about the Wikimedia Community
developing awareness of knowledge gaps, and
developing understanding of Wikimedia projects.