Hello everyone! Here's the most recent news about Structured Data on Wikimedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Structured_data.
Community updates
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Rama https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Rama published an article about Structured Commons in Arbido, a Swiss online magazine for archivists, librarians and documentalists: original in French, illustrated http://arbido.ch/fr/edition-article/2017/metadonn%C3%A9es-donn%C3%A9es-de-qualit%C3%A9/donn%C3%A9es-structur%C3%A9es-la-puissance-de-wikidata-au-service-de-wikimedia-commons and the article translated in English https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Rama/Structured_Data. -
We now have a dedicated IRC channel: wikimedia-commons-sd webchat https://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=#wikimedia-commons-sd
Things to do / input and feedback requests https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Structured_data/Get_involved
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Join the community focus group https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Structured_data/Get_involved/Community_focus_group ! -
Translation. Do you want to help out translating messages about Structured Data on Commons from English to your own language? Sign up on the translators' page https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Structured_Data_on_Commons/Newsletter/Translators . -
The documentation and info pages about Structured Data on Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Structured_data have received a thorough update, in order to get them ready for all the upcoming work. Obsolete pages were archived. There are undoubtedly still a lot of omissions and bits that are unclear. You can help by editing boldly, and by leaving feedback and tips on the talk pages. -
We have started to list tools, gadgets and bots https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Structured_data/Get_involved/Tools that might be affected by Structured Commons in order to prepare for a smooth transition to the new situation. You can help by adding alerts about/to specific tools and developers on the dedicated tools page https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Structured_data/Get_involved/Tools. You can also create Phabricator tasks https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T173971 to help keep track of this. Volunteers and developers interested in helping out with this process are extremely welcome - please sign up https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Structured_data/Get_involved/Tools ! -
Help write the next Structured Commons newsletter https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Structured_Data_on_Commons/Newsletter/Next .
Presentations / Press / Events https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Structured_data/About/Press_and_presentations
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Structured Data on Commons was presented at Wikimania 2017 in Montréal for a packed room. First design sketches for search functionality were discussed during a breakout session. Read the Etherpad reports of the presentation https://etherpad.wikimedia.org/p/Wikimedia2017-StructuredDataPresentation and the breakout session https://etherpad.wikimedia.org/p/Wikimedia2017-StructuredDataDesignDiscussion . -
Katherine Maher, Executive Director of the Wikimedia Foundation, answered questions on Quora https://www.quora.com/session/Katherine-Maher/1. One of her answers https://www.quora.com/Whats-your-take-on-VideoWiki-building-a-multi-media-encyclopedia, mentioning Structured Data on Commons, was republished on Huffington Post https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/wikipedia-is-working-on-making-its-treasure-troves_us_59d2e800e4b03905538d17ea . -
Sandra Fauconnier, Amanda Bittaker and Ramsey Isler from the Structured Commons team will be at WikidataCon. Sandra presents Structured Commons there https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:WikidataCon_2017/Submissions/Structured_Data_on_Wikimedia_Commons:_what%27s_coming,_and_how_to_be_involved_as_Wikidatans (with a focus on fruitful collaboration between the Wikidata and Commons communities). If you attend the conference, don't hesitate to say hi and have a chat with us! (phabricator task T176858 https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T176858)
Team updates
Two new people have been hired for the Structured Data on Commons team. We are now complete! :-)
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Ramsey Isler is the new Product Manager of the Multimedia team. -
Pamela Drouin was hired as User Interface Designer. She works at the Multimedia team as well, and her work will focus on the Structured Commons project.
Partners and allies
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We are still welcoming (more) staff from GLAMs (Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums) to become part of our long-term focus group (phabricator task T174134 https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T174134). You will be kept in the loop of the project, and receive regular small surveys and requests for feedback. Get in touch with Sandra https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:SandraF_(WMF) if you're interested - your input in helping to shape this project is highly valued!
Research
Design research https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Technology/Goals/2017-18_Q2#Segment_4:_Programs is ongoing.
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Jonathan Morgan and Niharika Ved have held interviews with various GLAM staff about their batch upload workflows and will finish and report on these in this quarter. (phabricator task T159495 https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T159495) -
At this moment, there is also an online survey for GLAM staff https://wikimedia.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7WDA2RZvPDuaV7f, Wikimedians in Residence, and GLAM volunteers who upload media collections to Wikimedia Commons. The results will be used to understand how we can improve this experience. (phabricator task T175188 https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T175188) -
Upcoming: interviews with Wikimedia volunteers who curate media on Commons (including tool developers), talking about activities and workflows. (phabricator task T175185 https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T175185)
Development https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Structured_data/Development
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In Autumn 2017, the Structured Commons development team works on the following major tasks (see also the quarterly goals for the team https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Audiences/2017-18_Q2_Goals#Programs ): -
Getting Multi-Content Revisions sufficiently ready, so that the Multimedia and Search Platform teams can start using it to test and prototype things. -
Determine metrics and metrics baseline for Commons (phabricator task T174519 https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T174519). -
The multimedia team at WMF is gaining expertise in Wikibase, and unblocking further development for Structured Commons, by completing the MediaInfo extension for Wikibase.
Stay up to date!
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Follow the Structured Data on Commons project on Phabricator: https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/project/profile/34/ -
Subscribe to this newsletter https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Global_message_delivery/Targets/Structured_Data_on_Commons to receive it on a talk page of your own choice. -
Join the next IRC office hour https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/IRC_office_hours#Upcoming_office_hours and ask questions to the team! It takes place on Tuesday 21 November, 18.00 UTC.
All the best! Sandra