Grants:Project/Building a Wikimedian Role into the Future of MHz Curationist
Project idea
editWhat is the problem you're trying to solve?
editWhat problem are you trying to solve by doing this project? This problem should be small enough that you expect it to be completely or mostly resolved by the end of this project. Remember to review the tutorial for tips on how to answer this question.
Our main organizational goal is to raise underrepresented knowledge in arts and culture, and in that we are natural collaborators with the Wikimedia GLAM community, which is working to solve the same problem. We seek to build a pilot program for a Wikimedian role at MHzCurationist to fuel perpetual paths of collaboration, so that as our platform produces new editorial content, this content can easily make its way to Wikipedia.
For open GLAM enthusiasts who are dissatisfied with siloed museum collections, Curationist is being actively developed as a digital platform that aggregates Open Access cultural heritage APIs and provides editorial context that is cooperatively made. Unlike Wikipedia, which is a tertiary source, we produce secondary resources Wikipedians can use to support their editing work.
Both of our communities are trying to solve the problem of under-represented knowledge in art and cultural heritage. We know that Wikipedians have running wish lists and campaigns that they wish to be able to produce cited works on . Our own community’s editors need insight on what topics would produce positive impacts for the open knowledge movement. Our community can support Wikipedia’s community thorough producing high quality, citable sources that back-up their work. The Wikimedian residency we seek to research would bridge the communications and create cooperation between the community's work and needs and MHz Curationist's editorial pipeline.
What is your solution?
editFor the problem you identified in the previous section, briefly describe your how you would like to address this problem. We recognize that there are many ways to solve a problem. We’d like to understand why you chose this particular solution, and why you think it is worth pursuing. Remember to review the tutorial for tips on how to answer this question.
We seek funding for a researcher to step in and help us to scope out a Wikimedian in Residence role for our efforts, that ties our own success to the needs of the Wikimedia community. The goals of the role will be to build an implementation strategy, and to establish the right connection points; our organization can collaborate across community projects, stay informed about the changing needs of the Wikimedia community, as well as their community standards and codes of conduct. We believe that in order to maximize the value of the synergies between our goals, that long-term this role should be a dedicated focus for us, and that a person’s job description should have a clear focus on how our work can best fit into the needs of the Wikimedia GLAM community.
The funding we seek will go towards prioritizing direct collaboration with Wikimedia from inception, rather than waiting until a later stage of our development to raise funds to explore it.
Project goals
editWhat are your goals for this project? Your goals should describe the top two or three benefits that will come out of your project. These should be benefits to the Wikimedia projects or Wikimedia communities. They should not be benefits to you individually. Remember to review the tutorial for tips on how to answer this question.
Build a path to a permanent Wikipedian role in our organization.
Establish cooperation with Wikipedia communities doing similar work to raise underrepresented knowledge.
Support the efforts of openGLAM Wikipedians and other editors working to increase representation.
Project impact
editHow will you know if you have met your goals?
editFor each of your goals, we’d like you to answer the following questions:
- During your project, what will you do to achieve this goal? (These are your outputs.)
- Once your project is over, how will it continue to positively impact the Wikimedia community or projects? (These are your outcomes.)
For each of your answers, think about how you will capture this information. Will you capture it with a survey? With a story? Will you measure it with a number? Remember, if you plan to measure a number, you will need to set a numeric target in your proposal (e.g. 45 people, 10 articles, 100 scanned documents). Remember to review the tutorial for tips on how to answer this question.
Build a path to a permanent Wikipedian role in our organization.
1. By the end of our six-month project, we will have the following two research documents complete:
a. Editorial & Workflow Guidelines For Wikimedia Collaborations: A living document within our own organization, detailing how Curationist will collaborate across community projects with Wikimedia. This document will be required reading for all Curationist editors, as they seek to understand how their work can additionally aid the goals of Wikipedia. b. Wikimedian in Residence Roles & Responsibilities: A job description and set of operating standards for a Wikimedian in Residence role, outlining the permanent organizer role we seek to fill, to keep all of our editors connected to the needs of the Wikimedia community.
We will work transparently and openly on both these documents over a period of six months to complete initial drafts of these documents.
2. Though the role we are seeking the funds for is a research and development role, it will lead to the creation of significant amounts of citable secondary sources for the Wikimedia community over the course of subsequent months and years. We are not currently setting specific numeric targets for those resources, but setting those targets will be part of the research.
Establish cooperation with Wikipedia communities doing similar work to raise underrepresented knowledge: 1. We will listen and learn from the Wikipedia community. We will attempt to engage as many Wikimedia volunteers as we can reach, to help guide our paths to collaboration. We will work with the Wikipedia community to identify how our team of editors can best serve their needs and set measurable outcomes to ensure those needs are met. 2. We will set up a GLAM focused WikiProject to give an easy pathway for Wikipedia community members to collaborate with us, and will maintain this project as part of the role description we initiate.
Support the efforts of openGLAM Wikipedians and other editors working to increase representation: 1. By sharing this new document outlining how we share our work with the Wikimedia community, we will be able to promote Wikimedia globally with our growing pool of partners, and encourage them to become Wikimedia, and GLAM-wiki, contributors. 2. As our list of partner institutions and collaborators grows within our platform, each of those institutions and individuals will be provided with details of our Wikimedia community collaboration.
Do you have any goals around participation or content?
editAre any of your goals related to increasing participation within the Wikimedia movement, or increasing/improving the content on Wikimedia projects? If so, we ask that you look through these three metrics, and include any that are relevant to your project. Please set a numeric target against the metrics, if applicable. Remember to review the tutorial for tips on how to answer this question.
This is an organizer role, and will have no specific content production requirements associated with it. However, once the collaboration paths are established, we will be institutionalizing the production of new content on a perpetual basis. We do have specific participation goals, and those will be fulfilled through the creation of the WikiProject described above.
Project plan
editActivities
editTell us how you'll carry out your project. What will you and other organizers spend your time doing? What will you have done at the end of your project? How will you follow-up with people that are involved with your project?
This is a research project with clearly defined objectives, set to be achieved within a fixed amount of time of six months. At the same time, the project is intended to generate systems and points of contact that will perpetuate well beyond this initial engagement. The funds raised are designed to pay two specific individuals. One of these individuals is a Project Manager already on the staff of MHz Foundation in a part-time capacity. The funds will pay for them to do extra hours of work, building job descriptions, hiring, and overseeing the second role, that of our pilot Wikimedian in Residence. This second role will be a new hire to us, though we expect to hire from within the Wikimedian community. This individual will have a full six months to fulfill the three goals we have outlined as necessary to build the role into a sustainable and effective one for both the MHz Curationist and Wikimedian communities. These project goals are, to reiterate, as follows:
Build a path to a permanent Wikipedian role in our organization. Establish cooperation with Wikipedia communities doing similar work to raise underrepresented knowledge. Support the efforts of openGLAM Wikipedians and other editors working to increase representation. The central work product, as outlined above, would be the following two research projects Document #1: MHz Curationist Editorial & Workflow Guidelines For Wikimedia Collaborations Document #2: MHz Curationist Wikimedian in Residence Roles & Responsibilities Engagement Project #1: MHz Curationist WikiProject
At the end of a six month period, the documents will be complete, and the project will be launched. The pathways to continued communication and collaboration between MHz Curationist staff and the Wikimedian community will have begun.
Budget
editHow you will use the funds you are requesting? List bullet points for each expense. (You can create a table later if needed.) Don’t forget to include a total amount, and update this amount in the Probox at the top of your page too!
- $2,000 - Part-time employment, one individual (existing hire, part time), fulfilling the role of Project Manager, who will be responsible for building job description, hiring and overseeing Wikimedian in Residence pilot position
- $18,000 ($3,000 per month for six months) Part-time employment, one individual (new hire), fulfilling six-month objectives of Wikimedian in Residence pilot position.
Total $20,000 USD
Community engagement
editCommunity input and participation helps make projects successful. How will you let others in your community know about your project? Why are you targeting a specific audience? How will you engage the community you’re aiming to serve during your project?
In working closely withDominic Byrd-McDevitta former Wikimedian in Residence himself, we have cultivated our awareness of the great work being done in the GLAM-wiki community. We need funding to move us from awareness to action.
Get involved
editParticipants
editPlease use this section to tell us more about who is working on this project. For each member of the team, please describe any project-related skills, experience, or other background you have that might help contribute to making this idea a success.
To be determined.
Community notification
editPlease paste links below to where relevant communities have been notified of your proposal, and to any other relevant community discussions. You are responsible for notifying relevant communities of your proposal, so that they can help you! Depending on your project, notification may be most appropriate on a Village Pump, talk page, mailing list, etc. Need notification tips?
Endorsements
editDo you think this project should be selected for a Project Grant? Please add your name and rationale for endorsing this project below! (Other constructive feedback is welcome on the discussion page).