Translations:Chapters Dialogue/Project/Implementation/24/en

Iteration meant for us:

Permitting and fostering the improvement and re-design of the process in the course of the project.
Being bold and open towards possible outcomes. The project had to focus on problems and not – like many other research projects – on solutions.
Co-creation by encouraging participation in creating the questionnaire on Meta: we wanted to draw on existing knowledge and consult with experts and mentors. This provided a good basis for our next steps.
Testing the research procedure: Before starting with the interviews, we asked some of the participants if they were willing to be the first test interviewees. We set up a few test interviews at Wikimania in Hong Kong which provided Kira with a sense of which questions were useful, which questions and aspects were missing, what order of questions was best for the interview flow, the number of questions and topics that could realistically be covered in 90 minutes etc.
Adjusting the questionnaire: Based on the insights of the interviews, we revised and improved the questionnaire, meaning that the answers provided in one interview shaped the questions for the next interview, and we kept improving the procedure in the course of the project.

The quality of the interviews improved, too: with every interview, Kira was able to learn more about the Wikimedia movement. Her increasing knowledge allowed her to identify coherences, to ask more precise questions and to follow up on topics more profoundly.
Constant feedback from several people from within and outside the movement helped us to regularly cross-check whether we were on the right track. Constructive criticism led to slight corrections to the course of the project.
Rehearsing and live-testing of parts of the presentation at the retreat of the Chapters’ Executive Directors (Berlin, February 2014) and at the Board Training Workshop (London, March 2014) was crucial for designing the final presentation.
Participation: From the project kick-off onwards, we involved movement players via online and offline discussions. This led to invaluable support and was essential for ensuring the commitment of the parties involved.