[Foundation-l] Surveys

[Marc Riddell]

on 10/2/07 9:47 AM, Brian McNeil at brian.mcneil at wikinewsie.org wrote:

> Marc,
> 
> We've had some issues on Wikinews recently where people have been overly
> blunt and offputting. On one side it is "I am defending the project", on the
> other it is "I am doing my best to contribute".  As a far smaller project
> than Wikipedia may I suggest you have a better chance of putting more of our
> contributors on the shrink's couch?

I can't help it - you set me up for this :-): It's not a couch; it's an
inflatable mattress - constantly being filled with hot air :-).
> 
> If you can get help setting up a survey I'd be happy to participate and help
> promote it to other Wikinewsies. Being a smaller project I think you'd get a
> feel for how to handle the data before moving onto something as big as
> Wikipedia and trying to select a representative sample there.

You have an good point here, Brian. Testing the survey on a smaller group
would be better. Right now we need to assemble a team to create the survey.
We will also need you and others like you to help promote it. I will keep
you in the loop as to how the process is going.

Marc

> 
> 
> Brian.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: foundation-l-bounces at lists.wikimedia.org
> [mailto:foundation-l-bounces at lists.wikimedia.org] On Behalf Of Marc Riddell
> Sent: 02 October 2007 15:28
> To: debbie at ictmarketing.co.uk, Wikimedia Foundation Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [Foundation-l] Surveys
> 
> on 10/1/07 4:34 PM, Debbie Garside at debbie at ictmarketing.co.uk wrote:
> 
>> OK... Forget the question :-)  I just realised there were another 30
> emails
>> above the one I responded to ;-)
>> 
> Thank you for responding, Debbie. What I am interested in, generally, is the
> state of online collaboration and community building; and I am particularly
> wanting to study interpersonal dynamics, conflict resolution and identity
> within the Foundation's projects. In other words, I would like to take a
> Project's emotional temperature.
> 
> In the English Wikipedia, for example, there are those on the Mailing List
> who say, we're fine, the culture's fine - don't mess with it.
> 
> However, there are also enough posts from persons who say they are feeling
> abused, ignored, and not being treated fairly in the Project. And, when
> these persons do post, they are usually portrayed as whiners, malcontents,
> and as persons who "need to get with the program".
> 
> In short, people simply don't seem to know how to talk with each other
> without being extremely defensive, or grossly offensive. This severely
> inhibits and degrades the quality of collaboration.
> 
> I have some ideas on how to improve some of this, but first I would like to
> conduct an honest, objective survey to see if this is simply my imagination,
> or is actually a true picture of the state of things.
> 
> My field is Clinical Psychology. I could assist in analyzing such a survey,
> but I am not schooled or experienced in actually creating one.
> 
> My thoughts are to present the findings to the Foundation itself. There is
> plenty of time to work within here. I would like to do this right. I welcome
> your input.
> 
> Marc Riddell
> 
> 
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: foundation-l-bounces at lists.wikimedia.org
>>> [mailto:foundation-l-bounces at lists.wikimedia.org] On Behalf
>>> Of Debbie Garside
>>> Sent: 01 October 2007 19:34
>>> To: 'Wikimedia Foundation Mailing List'
>>> Subject: Re: [Foundation-l] Surveys
>>> 
>>> Hi
>>> 
>>> By survey can you clarify what you mean please?  I do have
>>> quite a lot of experience in both designing, implementing and
>>> analysing survey data - most recently conducting an online
>>> survey for an ISO TC.
>>> 
>>> Best regards
>>> 
>>> Debbie
>>> 
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: foundation-l-bounces at lists.wikimedia.org
>>>> [mailto:foundation-l-bounces at lists.wikimedia.org] On Behalf
>>> Of Casey
>>>> Brown
>>>> Sent: 29 September 2007 13:59
>>>> To: Wikimedia Foundation Mailing List
>>>> Subject: Re: [Foundation-l] Surveys
>>>> 
>>>> I believe there are currently some attempts at creating surveys by
>>>> individual community members, but I don't think anything on a large
>>>> scale has been done yet.  This is definitely something that a few
>>>> (most?) people would like to see done, to just get a better idea of
>>>> who uses or edits the site.
>>>> 
>>>> On 9/29/07, Marc Riddell <michaeldavid86 at comcast.net> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> Folks,
>>>>> 
>>>>> Has any type of survey of individual Community Members ever
>>>> been taken
>>>>> on any online Foundation project?
>>>>> 
>>>>> If there has, what were the mechanics involved in taking
>>>> it? If not,
>>>>> would conducting such a survey be possible?
>>>>> 
>>>>> I am somewhat computer-challenged, so please be gentle :-).
>>>>> 
>>>>> Marc Riddell
> 
> 
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