Dear Wes
Thank you for yet another prompt response. It seems almost churlish to say
that unfortunately that is not what I have been asking for -- I must be
very bad at expressing myself to have given so many different people so
many different mistaken impressions of my request. To me a product roadmap
would be a quite high-level view of the new products and major deveopments
and their linkages looking out on a time scale significantly in excess of a
single year, and at a level of detail significantly less than the
aggregation of all the teams' quarterly plans. The roadmap would have the
level of abstraction, interconnection and timscale that allows you to say
that a three-year project such as the one you have just announced will
expedite features on your roadmap and that the grant enabled accelerating
the already started work on Structured Commons into a quicker three-year
time frame: so a roadmap on which you can locate a project with a time
frame that was previously beyond three years let alone one. It is also
known that there are long-term projects such as parser unification, new
editors and discussion systems which look out well beyond the current
year. Are there others -- we do not (yet) know.
So again, my request is that you share this higher-level, longer-term, if
not completely definitve roadmap with the community in the interests of
transparency not only as an abstract objective but in order to maximise
the benefits of early engagement, discussion and co-creation.
Yours
"Rogol"
On Tue, Jan 10, 2017 at 9:29 PM, Wes Moran <wmoran(a)wikimedia.org> wrote:
Hello Rogol,
Thanks for the question. The Annual Plan we follow and share with the
community for review before we begin our work is available on Meta [1]. We
update specific plans on a quarterly basis on our goals pages [2] as they
may evolve over the year. We also provide a number of links for the
specific teams on our Product page and welcome participation, discussion or
connection through those pathways and directly with the feature teams [3].
Specifically the Wikidata, Community Tech, Editing and Discovery teams have
specific objectives and goals in this years annual plan.
Hope this answers your question and certainly engage in the ongoing
discussion around the work on the Commons page [4].
Thanks,
Wes
Wes Moran
Vice President of Product
Wikimedia Foundation
[1]
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_
Annual_Plan/2016-2017/Final#Product
[2]
https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Engineering/2016-17_Goals
[3]
https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Product
[4]
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Structured_data/Overview
On Tue, Jan 10, 2017 at 11:01 AM, Rogol Domedonfors <domedonfors(a)gmail.com
wrote:
Thanks to both Lydia and Denny for these further
replies. I assume that
the WMF has a clear stable and unified view of where it is taking its
various products and the dependencies, which is what I understand by the
phrase product roadmap. "A single document" would be nice, but whatever
it
> is, I am asking for it to be shared with the community.
> "Rogol"
> On Tue, Jan 10, 2017 at 6:12 PM,
Denny Vrandečić <vrandecic(a)gmail.com>
> wrote:
> > Hi Rogol,
>
> > that is why I pointed you
to the links in that document, which go all
the
way back
to 2004 discussions of such a project, and further discussions
over the years. These pretty much establish for me that this item has
been
> a topic for commons for more than a decade now. But it seems I am
> misunderstanding you, and you are not looking for a documentation of
the
> > shared understanding of the roadmap for Commons and other Wikimedia
> > products, but for a singular Foundation-written document that fixes the
> > Wikimedia product roadmap over several years instead?
>
> > Cheers,
> > Denny
>
>
> > On Tue, Jan 10, 2017 at 10:00 AM Rogol Domedonfors <
> domedonfors(a)gmail.com>
> > wrote:
>
> > > Denny
> >
> > > Thank you but the
link you provide appears to be to be "Our
high-level
roadmap for developing the project", namely the
Structured Data in
Commons
> project. Since Lisa wrote "Structured Data on Commons was in our
product
> > roadmap" I was referring to the product roadmap on which the
Structured
> > Data in Commons project is included --
that is, I was asking for a
> pointer
> > to the roadmap for "features both on the Wikidata development
roadmap,
> and
> > in other products supported by the Wikimedia Foundation" referred to
in
> > Wes
> > > Moran's initial post on this topic:
> >
> > > But I appreciate
the speed of your reply.
> >
> > >
"Rogol"
> >
> > > On Tue, Jan 10,
2017 at 5:46 PM, Denny Vrandečić <
vrandecic(a)gmail.com>
> > > wrote:
> >
> > > > Rogol,
> > >
> > > > this
was the link previously provided on this project:
> > > >
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Structured_data/
Overview
> > > > including
> > > > links to previous documents.
> > >
> > > >
Cheers,
> > > > Denny
> > >
> > >
> > > > On Tue, Jan 10, 2017 at
9:32 AM Rogol Domedonfors <
> > domedonfors(a)gmail.com
> > >
> > > > wrote:
> > >
> > > > >
Lisa
> > > >
> > > >
> You say that "Structured Data on Commons was in our product
> roadmap,
> > so
> > > > > this grant is not diverting our attention. The grant simply
> enables
> > us
> > > > to
> > > > > accelerate the work we were planning to do". Please would
you
> > publish,
> > > > or
> > > > > point to, a version of that product roadmap that can inform the
> > > > community's
> > > > > participation in such planning exercises as the 2017 Wikimedia
> > Movement
> > > > > Strategy and other more tactical product planning processes.
> > > >
> > > >
> Thanks in advance
> > > > > "Rogol"
> > > >
> > > >
> On Mon, Jan 9, 2017 at 11:01 PM, Lisa Gruwell <
> > lgruwell(a)wikimedia.org>
> > > > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > >
> > Hi Pete and Gerard-
> > > > >
> > >
> > > I just wanted to give my thoughts on restricted gifts. Like
most
> > > > things,
> > > > > > there are both good and bad restricted gifts. They can be
bad
> if a
> > > > > funder
> > > > > > is making a well-intentioned gift that none-the-less pulls
the
> > > > > organization
> > > > > > in direction that they were not planning to go. Or even
worse,
> > when
> > > a
> > > > > > funder pays for something outside of an org's plans
that has
> > ongoing
> > > > > > maintenance cost that are not covered in the grant.
> > > > >
> > >
> > > This is why the WMF board reviews all restricted grants per our
> > gift
> > > > > policy
> > > > > > <https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Gift_policy>.
Those are
> the
> > > > types
> > > > > > of
> > > > > > dynamics that the board considers when they review a
restricted
> > > grant.
> > > > >
> > >
> > > Structured Data on Commons was in our product roadmap, so this
> > grant
> > > is
> > > > > not
> > > > > > diverting our attention. The grant simply enables us to
> accelerate
> > > the
> > > > > > work we were planning to do. In terms of restrictions, we
have
> to
> > > > follow
> > > > > > through with the plan we submitted. In other words, do
what we
> > said
> > > we
> > > > > are
> > > > > > going to do. I think that accountability is a good thing.
And
> the
> > > > Sloan
> > > > > > Foundation is a great long-term funder of WMF. If
something
> > changes
> > > as
> > > > > the
> > > > > > work progress, I have no doubt we could have a reasonable
> > > conversation
> > > > > with
> > > > > > them about adjusting the plan.
> > > > >
> > >
> > > Best,
> > > > > > Lisa
> > > > >
> > >
> > > On Mon, Jan 9, 2017 at 1:03 PM, Gerard Meijssen <
> > > > > gerard.meijssen(a)gmail.com
> > > > > >
> >
> > > > wrote:
> > > > >
> > >
> > > > Hoi,
> > > > > > > Maybe restricted but the subject matter is exactly
what we
want
> > > anyway.
> > > > > > Where I have my reservations is that Wikidata will be set
in
> stone
> > > and
> > > > > > stuff that just is not right will be with us for forever.
With
> more
> > > > money
> > > > > > it does not need to be a huge problem because it makes it
more
> > > > > > manageable.
> > > > > > > Thanks,
> > > > > > > GerardM
> > > > > >
> >
> > > > > On 9 January 2017 at 21:52, Pete Forsyth <
> peteforsyth(a)gmail.com>
> > > > > wrote:
> > > > > >
> >
> > > > > > Structured data on Commons is a huge and important area --
> for
> > > one
> > > > > > thing,
> > > > > > > > the whole Media Viewer project would have gone
much more
> > smoothly
> > > > if
> > > > > > > there
> > > > > > > > were underlying structured data to rely on. Kudos
to WMF
and
> > > Sloan
> > > > > for
> > > > > > > the
> > > > > > > > focus on this issue!
> > > > > > >
>
> > > > > > > If I'm not mistaken, this is by far the most
extravagant
> > > restricted
> > > > > > grant
> > > > > > > > in the history of the WMF. I believe the Stanton
Foundation's
> > > > usability
> > > > > > > grant ($890k in 2008)[1] and Public Policy Initiative
grant
> ($1.2
> > > > > million
> > > > > > > in 2010)[2] are the only ones that comes close. In the
past,
> WMF
> > > > board
> > > > > > > members have expressed great skepticism about --
specifically
> > --
> > > > the
> > > > > > > Sloan
> > > > > > > > Foundation's influence, when it sought to
place an observer
> in
> > > WMF
> > > > > > board
> > > > > > > > meetings. A former WMF Executive Director has
written at
> length
> > > > about
> > > > > > the
> > > > > > > > dangers of restricted grants.
> > > > > > >
>
> > > > > > > It appears there is a new theory in play around
restricted
> > > grants.
> > > > > Will
> > > > > > > > somebody be expressing it publicly? Will the past
practice
of
> > > > > > publishing
> > > > > > > > the details of the grant expectations be
followed?[3]
> > > > > > >
>
> > > > > > > -Pete
> > > > > > > > --
> > > > > > > > [[User:Peteforsyth]]
> > > > > > >
>
> > > > > > > [1]
https://blog.wikimedia.org/
> 2008/12/03/improved-usability-
> > > > > > > > in-our-future/
> > > > > > > > [2]
> > > > > > > >
https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Press_releases/May_
> > > > > > > >
2010_Wikimedia_Foundation_will_engage_academic_experts_
> > > > > > > >
and_students_to_improve_public_policy_information
> > > > > > > > [3]
> > > > > > > >
https://outreach.wikimedia.org/wiki/Public_Policy_
> > > > > > > > Initiative_project_details
> > > > > > >
>
> > > > > > > On Mon, Jan 9, 2017 at 11:48 AM, Wes Moran <
> > wmoran(a)wikimedia.org
> > >
> > > > >
> wrote:
> > > > > > >
>
> > > > > > > > Hello Wikimedia community,
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > It’s our delight to inform you that we
received a
> > US$3,015,000
> > > > > grant
> > > > > > > from
> > > > > > > > > the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
> > > > > > > > >
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_P._Sloan_
Foundation>
[1]
> > to
> > > > > > expedite
> > > > > > > development of structured data on Commons. The grant
will
be
> > > given
> > > > > over
> > > > > > > the
> > > > > > > > course of three years, and will allow us to
develop a
team,
> > in
> > > > > > > > > collaboration with the Wikidata team at
Wikimedia
> > Deutschland,
> > > > that
> > > > > > can
> > > > > > > > > focus on integrating the structured data
features of
> Wikidata
> > > > into
> > > > > > > > > describing the media files on Commons.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > This work will allow us to expedite features
both on the
> > > Wikidata
> > > > > > > > > development roadmap, and in other products
supported by
the
> > > > Wikimedia
> > > > > > > > Foundation. The grant also provides funding to
ensure
that
> > > > movement
> > > > > > > > > stakeholders, like Wiki Loves Monuments and
GLAM-Wiki
> program
> > > > > > leaders,
> > > > > > > > and
> > > > > > > > > external partners who contribute heavily to
Commons, such
> as
> > > > GLAMs,
> > > > > > can
> > > > > > > > be
> > > > > > > > > involved in the development.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > We have drafted a high level overview of the
grant and
its
> > > scope,
> > > > > > > > available
> > > > > > > > > on Commons
> > > > > > > > >
<https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Structured_
> > > > > > > data/Sloan_Grant>
> > > > > > > > > [2]. A blog post about the grant is also
available on the
> > > > Wikimedia
> > > > > > > blog
> > > > > > > > >
<https://blog.wikimedia.org/2017/01/09/sloan-foundation-
> > > > > > > structured-data>
> > > > > > > > > [3].
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > We are currently in the process of
identifying the
> technical
> > > lead
> > > > > for
> > > > > > > the
> > > > > > > > > project. If you have questions, Alex
Stinson, the
> > Foundation’s
> > > > > > > GLAM-Wiki
> > > > > > > > > strategist, will be leading the community
engagement and
> > > > > > communications
> > > > > > > > for
> > > > > > > > > the project until we hire a community
liaison as part of
> the
> > > > grant.
> > > > > > > Stay
> > > > > > > > > tuned for more details about the project in
the coming
> > months.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > We’re excited to be able to support this
project, and
look
> > > > forward
> > > > > to
> > > > > > > > your
> > > > > > > > > participation in its development.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Thank you,
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Wes Moran and Maggie Dennis
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > *Wes Moran, Vice President of Product*
> > > > > > > > > *Maggie Dennis, Interim Chief of Community
Engagement *
> > > > > > > > > *Wikimedia Foundation*
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > [1]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
> Alfred_P._Sloan_Foundation
> > > > > > > > > [2]
> > >
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Structured_data/
> > > > > > > > Sloan_Grant
> > > > > > > > > [3]
https://blog.wikimedia.org/
> 2017/01/09/sloan-foundation-
> > > > > > > > structured-data
> > > > > > > > >
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