Wikimedia Foundation website/2017-2018 update/Background
The current Wikimedia Foundation website was launched in 2004, replacing a basic HTML page that had been used since the organization's founding in 2003. As the organization rapidly grew, so did the website's content and scope. Over time, some of that content was abandoned or duplicated on project wikis like Meta-Wiki and MediaWiki.org. Since at least 2012, there were efforts to redesign specific and actively used areas, as well as discussions about redesigning the overall site. In 2013, the organization began to clarify the scope of the site, limited access, and shifted active discussions to project wikis.
In 2016, the Communications department, at the request of the Leadership team, agreed to undertake a review of the current Wikimedia Foundation website. An initial assessment of the content revealed that of the 17,714 pages on the site at that time, approximately 1,500 contained active content related to the operations of the organization. Among the 10,258 content pages at that time, the most common uses and departments involved were identified.
Articles by use (at time of 2016 review) Translations (46.72%) Advancement (35.75%) Governance (7.61%) Communications (3.81%) Talent & Culture (2.23%) Legal (1.74%) Finance & Admin (0.88%) Community Engagement (0.68%) Annual planning (0.12%) Audiences (0.10%) Annual reports (0.09%) Advocacy (0.08%) Wiki maintenance (0.08%) Strategic planning (0.07%) Technology (0.05%)
| Articles by use (at time of 2016 review) | ||
| Translations | 4,793 | 46.72% |
| Advancement | 3,667 | 35.75% |
| Governance | 781 | 7.61% |
| Communications | 391 | 3.81% |
| Talent & Culture | 229 | 2.23% |
| Legal | 178 | 1.74% |
| Finance & Admin | 90 | 0.88% |
| Community Engagement | 70 | 0.68% |
| Annual planning | 12 | 0.12% |
| Audiences | 10 | 0.10% |
| Annual reports | 9 | 0.09% |
| Advocacy | 8 | 0.08% |
| Wiki maintenance | 8 | 0.08% |
| Strategic planning | 7 | 0.07% |
| Technology | 5 | 0.05% |
| TOTAL | 10,258 | 100.00% |
In late 2016, initial discussions began between Communications, Technology, Audiences, Legal, Community Engagement, and Advancement on improvements to the scope and design of the website. In early 2017, based on the capacities of the departments involved, the decision was made to include in the 2017-2018 annual plan a project focusing on the website and utilizing outside contractor. The outside vendors would facilitate a thorough assessment of the needs of the site, make recommendations, and implement approved improvements.
In June 2017, Mule Design began the Discovery stage of the project by interviewing dozens of staff and contractors from every department, volunteers, donors, affiliates, institutions, and outside partners. The firm held meetings at Wikimania 2017 and presented some initial findings at the July 2017 metrics and activities meeting. A final brief of their findings has subsequently been published.
Based on the findings from the Discovery stage, the decision was made to completely replace the current website. The new website would have a more limited scope and focus primarily on external audiences, requiring a different approach from project sites like Wikipedia. Perhaps most importantly, people unfamiliar with the Wikimedia Foundation would have a place to learn more about the organization and our efforts to support the broader Wikimedia movement.
Mule Design began work on a design and development plan for the new website in September 2017. Since that time, the Communications department has begun work on developing and translating content for the new website focused on external audiences. Additionally, efforts have begun to repurpose the current website as a documentation wiki to house specific governance related materials. Other materials on the current website will be relocated or archived on other existing wikis such as Meta-Wiki or MediaWiki.org.
The new website is tentatively scheduled to launch before the end of June 2018. The new website and related on-wiki documentation efforts will then continue to be coordinated by the Communications department.