[Foundation-l] Strategic plan resolution

[Michael Snow]

As I've alluded to a few times, I've been working with Sue to start a 
long-term strategic planning process. This was a major topic of our last 
board meeting, and after the meeting the board formally passed a 
resolution directing Sue to develop this process. You will be hearing 
more about this shortly, but first I want to share the text of the 
resolution itself, which was passed unanimously as follows:

Whereas the Wikimedia Foundation intends to develop a strategic plan 
laying out a course of action for the next three to five years, the 
Board of Trustees directs its Executive Director, Sue Gardner, to 
develop and execute a strategic planning process, in close consultation 
with the Board, and on its behalf.

The work of the Wikimedia Foundation is founded in the premise that 
open, mass collaboration is the most effective method for achieving 
high-quality decisionmaking. Therefore, we ask that the strategic 
planning process be designed to include input from a wide range of 
sources, including Wikimedia volunteers and supporters representing a 
diversity of geographies and projects. We ask that the process also aim 
to solicit input from parties who are currently not part of the 
Wikimedia community, in an effort to broaden our knowledge base and 
benefit from new ideas and information.

The principles guiding this process should include:

* Transparency. As much as possible, work should be done in public, and 
be visible to all.

* Participation. The mechanisms used to solicit input should be designed 
to be as open as reasonably possible, and to encourage broad participation.

* Collaboration. We recognize that we will not develop a consensus 
strategy that pleases everyone. We will need to make difficult decisions 
that may prove unpopular. But we believe that people who want to have a 
voice in the process, should be heard.

--Michael Snow