[Foundation-l] Lack of research on Wikipedia

[Fowler, John]

Hi all,

I stumbled across this thread when I was browsing through some past
foundation-l posts. My name is John Fowler, and I'm with the Bridgespan
Group, working with the Wikimedia Foundation during the strategic
planning process to develop a fact base to inform future work.

We're trying to pull together all available research currently on
Wikimedia's strategic planning site. You can find these preliminary fact
bases at http://strategy.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fact_base. There's good data
here on article count, number of contributors, quality of articles, and
the demographics of readers/contributors. This may be of some use to the
discussion regarding the availability of research on Wikipedia, but any
additional information would be a huge help--especially given how much
knowledge seems to be passed back and forth on this mailing list.

Best,
John

-----Original Message-----
From: Gerard Meijssen [mailto:gerard.meijssen at gmail.com] 
Sent: Thursday, August 20, 2009 2:22 PM
To: Wikimedia Foundation Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Foundation-l] Lack of research on Wikipedia

Hoi,
I wrote articles on all the fish of the Benelux. I cheered when I was
done..
Nobody else did. What we need is to celebrate something that has meaning
to
all. Articles do that better then anything I know.

The thing with news is that it needs to be told. That is why I blog for
instance, how else do I explain that a GLAM is not about getting images
for
Wikipedia but that they provide the basis for the credibility of the
illustrations we use. Compare that to article numbers, there is the
suspense
of the numbers rising to this magical number... It is a great show, and
while it may have limited meaning, it gives a more universal sense of
accomplishment.
Thanks,
        GerardM

2009/8/20 Ziko van Dijk <zvandijk at googlemail.com>

> Hi Gerard,
> Indeed, people need news. But they can be produced also with more
> sence having accomplishments: All mayors of our capital have an
> article, the 50 most important folk singers, great illustrated
> articles on the fauna and flora of our region...
> Kind regards
> Ziko
>
> 2009/8/20 Gerard Meijssen <gerard.meijssen at gmail.com>:
> > Hoi,
> > For some of our smaller projects, the number of articles are the
only
> > milestones available. It is necessary to celebrate progress. It is
> > meaningful when the Swahili Wikipedia becomes the biggest African
> language
> > Wikipedia. It is meanigful when you compare it with most of the
other
> > African language projects that have no life in them.
> >
> > I agree that on many levels the numbers game is of little relevance
> however
> > it becomes relevant when there is a need for the celebration of
progress
> in
> > a project. A need to be motivated to go on with the gigantic task
that is
> > writing a Wikipedia.
> > Thanks,
> >      GerardM
> >
> > 2009/8/20 Ziko van Dijk <zvandijk at googlemail.com>
> >
> >> I couldn't agree more, Erik. Not paying attention to "milestones"
is
> >> the first and best step; Wikipedia:Signpost should start with it.
> >> Ziko
> >>
> >> 2009/8/20 Erik Zachte <erikzachte at infodisiac.com>:
> >>
> >> > I concur wholeheartedly. Focusing on rising article counts gave
us a
> >> thrill
> >> > for many years, and now it is difficult to kick the bad habit.
> >>
> >> > On a small wikipedia (at least most of them) there is simply not
> enough
> >> of a
> >> > community to drive this semi automated article creation process.
> >> >
> >> > I think it would help if we discouraged any bragging on the 4th
> millionth
> >> > article in the English Wikipedia at all and downplayed any
inquiries
> from
> >> > the media.
> >> >
> >> > _______________________________________________
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> >> > foundation-l at lists.wikimedia.org
> >> > Unsubscribe:
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> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> --
> >> Ziko van Dijk
> >> NL-Silvolde
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
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> >> foundation-l at lists.wikimedia.org
> >> Unsubscribe:
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> >>
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>
>
>
> --
> Ziko van Dijk
> NL-Silvolde
>
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