[Foundation-l] encouraging women's participation

[Sydney Poore]

English Wikipedia has numerous contests during the year. Some people
regularly participate in them and enjoy them.

Wikipedia:WikiProject Military history/Contest is an example of one that is
ongoing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:MILCON

Picture of the year is popular with some people on Commons.

While everyone does not want to be involved in contests, they appeal to some
people and I see no problem with us introducing more of them in WMF projects
to see if they will draw people into the movement.

I feel the same way about encouraging new ways to get different groups of
people involved with WMF projects.

If gaming can be used to promote an interest in WMF then that is goodness.
Puzzles, board games, and even more complex fantasy games using content
might be a draw for some people. If someone wants to develop them I would
not stand in there way.

Combining community service and socializing is very common in community
organizations, and is appealing to many people. By adding more social
components to WMF projects, we will most likely draw in people that
otherwise would not volunteer. I see this as an important tool and one that
should not be dismissed if we are going to broaden the base of our
volunteers.

Sydney Poore
(FloNight)

On Sat, Jun 19, 2010 at 5:29 PM, Marc Riddell <michaeldavid86 at comcast.net>wrote:

> on 6/19/10 4:58 PM, Keegan Peterzell at keegan.wiki at gmail.com wrote:
>
> <snip>.
> >
> > There was a great TED speech that I need to look up but don't have the
> time
> > for at the moment.  The premise of the presentation is that studies have
> > shown time and time again that things like games, prizes, awards and
> other
> > measures of gratitude are only temporary measures to increase motivation.
> > The folks that work for you that are the truly motivated ones and
> believers
> > in the process do not ask for these rewards.  A pat on the back and a
> "good
> > job, thanks for your work because I value it very much" occasionally is
> the
> > only true recognition that is needed.  The other fluff only inspires
> > distraction from the goal because it's creating other little goals which,
> in
> > turn, become more important than the end result.
>
> Yes! Prizes denote direct competition as in sports or, more subtly, with
> the
> science & arts awards.
>
> Person-to-person affirmation goes a very long way; and is what
> collaboration
> & community should be based upon. Give them the climate, and they will give
> you the culture.
>
> Marc Riddell
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> foundation-l mailing list
> foundation-l at lists.wikimedia.org
> Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/foundation-l
>