[Foundation-l] strategic planning process update

[Sue Gardner]

2009/9/22 Eugene Eric Kim <eekim at blueoxen.com>:
> On Mon, Sep 14, 2009 at 3:49 PM, Pavlo Shevelo <pavlo.shevelo at gmail.com> wrote:
>> "Who will decide what the strategy will be, and what will be the
>> decision-making process?"
>>
>> this page explains nothing about (or explains in no detail if somebody
>> prefers) how main stakeholder - Foundation will make decision about
>> said strategy. The huge, extremely intensive (and effective, if we
>> will do our best) Earth-wide pipeline for proposal preparation - it's
>> good. But what will be in the very end? How Foundation will decide
>> what idea is good enough to stand behind it (and to put money in it)?
>
> Sorry for taking so long to respond, Pavlo. I'm not sure I'm the right
> person to respond to this. I'll do my best, you can tell me if you
> think it's clear, and hopefully other folks from the Foundation will
> jump in.

I just saw this thread; I'm happy to jump in.

What Eugene says is all accurate -- let me expand a little.

Essentially, the purpose of the project is to develop a strategy for
the Wikimedia movement, not just for the Wikimedia Foundation.  What
that means is that no single entity will be able to approve and drive
forward the whole thing: individual players will drive forward the
pieces that compel and engage and inspire them.

So for example:

* If it looks like it makes sense to stage a lot of events aimed at
broadening participation in developed countries, the chapters would
logically take the lead on that.

* If it looks like it would make sense to conduct a massive awareness
campaign in India, that would probably be moved forward in partnership
between the Wikimedia Foundation and what might be -by then- an
approved, new Indian chapter.

* If it looks like a very strong focus on mobile makes sense, I expect
that would be something driven forward by the tech staff at Wikimedia,
in partnership with individual volunteer devs, and possibly supported
by relationships with for-profit firms such as Orange.

* If there is a simple thing that looks sensible, and one person wants
to, and is able to, achieve it by him or herself, they would just do
that. They wouldn't need to wait for anyone's goahead.

You see what I mean?  Essentially, the goal is that each player will
make its own decisions based on its own context -- its own capacity,
its skills and abilities and interests, its own goals and priorities.
People will be able to do that however they want, in whatever process
works for them.

With regards to the Wikimedia Foundation, as Eugene said, if the
process works well, it (the process) will deliver to the Board a set
of high-level recommendations in key areas.  By that time work will
have been done, especially in the later stages of the task force work,
to try to ensure the recommendations are synched up with each other
and make sense together as much as possible --- but there will
probably be a few areas in which incompatible (mutually exclusive)
recommendations are submitted.  The Board of Trustees will then work
to resolve whatever contradictions are present, and to prioritize the
work it wants to get done. And then, if all has gone well, it will
approve the strategy plan.

Hope that helps.  And -- Board members should please speak up here
also, especially if there are nuances to their understanding that
differ from mine or Eugene's.

Thanks,
Sue





-- 
Sue Gardner
Executive Director
Wikimedia Foundation

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