Grants:Project/WikiInAfrica/WikiFundi/Timeline

This project is funded by a Project Grant

Timeline for WikiInAfrica

Timeline	Date
Release of V2 beta version	July 2018 (hopefully)
Official release of V2	October 2018
Milestone 3	Day Month Year

Monthly updates

Please prepare a brief project update each month, in a format of your choice, to share progress and learnings with the community along the way. Submit the link below as you complete each update.

February

Discussions with Emmanuel and Stephane regarding technical project management (workload, timeline, dev availability etc.)
Complete clean-up of French pages to prepare for V2
Partial clean-up of English pages to prepare for V2
Initial discussions with potential (distribution) partners
Discussion Github versus Maniphest.

March

Presentation and demo at WikiIndaba
Prepare a Wiki in Africa Newsletter with news about WikiFundi (and other news)
Further tech preparation (planning, identification of a dev etc.), in particular during WikiIndaba
Shooting of introductory videos during WikiIndaba
Distribution of more boxes during WikiIndaba

April

Presence at Wikimedia Con
Addition of many contacts on the WiA contact database prior to sending the newsletter
Work on introductory videos (the ones shoot at WikiIndaba)
Distribution of more boxes during Wikimedia Con
Finalize clean-up of English pages to prepare for V2
Start working on improving the pages, adding new pages
Working on tutorials in French language. Will not finalize them (and not do the English ones) until I have certainty that this can technically work on the raspberry (I am having doubts about the cookie...). Will explore the possibility of doing short screen training videos instead.

May

Newsletter sent to all contacts with several updates (including one on WikiFundi) : [1], in French and English
V2 Content pages 90% done in French. 10% in English.
UserGuides updates ongoing
Interview on WMF blog : https://blog.wikimedia.org/2018/05/10/offline-access-wikipedia-wikifundi/
Various talks with potential partners + offline solutions Planning UserGroup + group interested in Async Wikis
Developer found : start of dev work
WikiFundi resources fully updated
Submission of WikiFundi poster for Wikimania

June

Finalize V2 pages.
Finalize French tutorials
Finalize UserGuides
Prepare WikiFundi poster for Wikimania
Continue Tech development

July

Poster WikiFundi published for Wikimania 2018 - V2 release

WikiChallenge poster (UserCase of WikiFundi software

Hard tech work to make V2 available on time for Wikimania 2018
Purchase of 32 GB SD cards
Creation of first set of SD cards for delivery to Wikimedia teams during Wikimania
Poster released : File:WikiFundi Generic Poster-A2.jpg
Release Manuel in French for V2 File:Manuel d’utilisation de la platforme WikiFundi V2.pdf
Release Manuel in English for V2 File:WikiFundi UserGuide V2.pdf
Tutorials dropped (tech issues)
Work on order system on the wikifundi website
Release of WikiChallenge poster in time for Wikimania (this poster is about one of the featured use of WikiFundi in 2017) : File:WikiChallenge poster-High Resolution.pdf
Website has been updated with specific information about what can be found in a WikiFundi pack and the ability to apply for it. A shopping/shipping solution and final options are still being investigated.
Videos shot by Anthere and Zack McCune at Wiki Indaba in English and French added to YouTube and featuring on the website (still to be uploaded to Commons): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0PaS3g8Skk&t=8s (the English version). Arabic still underwork
various presentations and demo of WikiFundi at Wikimania
Testing of beta version
Deliveries : English min version of the software for Algeria (Bachounda), Tanzania (Iddy), Uganda (Erina), Nigeria (Sam), Ghana (Joy), South Africa (Michael)
Deliveries : one raspberry PI for Uganda (Erina), Tanzania (Iddy), and Nigeria (Sam - 2nd location in Nigeria)

End of July report

Summary

In a few short sentences or bullet points, give the main highlights of what happened with your project so far.

Content part completely finalized (French WikiFundi version, English WikiFundi version, Resources)
Tech part (software development) of the project was very much delayed (due to missing human ressources in the Kiwix team). Finally kicked-in in May. A beta version of the software was released in time for Wikimania. Some bug fixing still needed for final public release. Expectation is that the tech part will be over in August.
Communication partly done
Partnerships proceeding well
finances ok

Methods and activities

How have you setup your project, and what work has been completed so far?

Describe how you've setup your experiment or pilot, sharing your key focuses so far and including links to any background research or past learning that has guided your decisions. List and describe the activities you've undertaken as part of your project to this point.

Technology

100% # Analysis of bugs and suggested additions

100% # Evaluation of effectiveness and benefits of required changes and additions,

100% # Development of all elements and testing by increment

100% # Release of beta version at Wikimania

100% # Delivery of beta version at Wikimania to several English based UserGroups

80% # Testing of changes and user experience

80% # Production of different deliveries (per language/both language, sofware with/without resources)

0% # Final release

0% # Delivery of software to French based UserGroups

Status: is late in comparison of initial timeline, but is on track. Beta version was released at Wikimania. Cards were delivered to Wikimedia Nigeria, Ghana Open West Foundation, South Africa Michael Graff, Wikimedia Tanzania, Wikimedia Uganda and Wikimedia Algeria. We only have fixing of final bugs and final delivery to be expected (should be finalized in August or early September). New cards will be delivered to French group in October (to avoid shipping issues met in the past, we favor face to face delivery).

Resources and Tutorials

Resources : done

100% # Analysis of resources. Curation. Packaging. Addition to WikiFundi

Content : done

100% all V1 WikiFundi pages have been properly archived

100% all V2 pages finalized

Discovery videos : not planned in original project

100% Discovery videos (not originally planned...) have been recorded during WikiIndaba in 4 languages (English, French, Classical Arabic, and Dialect Tunisian Arabic).

80% Videos in English and French published on Wiki in Africa youtube channel and used for communication. Arabic version still partially done and final version not yet published.

In French : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZMgoHogoeE&frags=pl%2Cwn

In English : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0PaS3g8Skk&frags=pl%2Cwn

Draft Arabic 1 : File:WikiFundi Intro video Arabic 1.webm

Draft Arabic 2 : File:WikiFundi Intro video Arabic 2.webm

Tutorials : much time spent on it. Revealed technically difficult to implement and ultimately not such a good idea.

Decision was to drop.

UserGuide updates : done

100% published

French version File:Manuel d’utilisation de la platforme WikiFundi V2.pdf

English version File:WikiFundi UserGuide V2.pdf

Explainer Videos

0% # Analysis of message to communicate. Analysis of current resources, and current technological options to create the video.

0% # Evaluation of the effectiveness and benefits of required creation.

0% # Scenario, writing, design, translation and then development of finalised elements.

0% # Editing, proofing, reviewing and testing usage experience and elements, and isolating key benefits for inclusion at communications and partners stages.

0% # Dissemination

Status: nothing has been done yet

Communications material and campaign

WikiFundi poster released at Wikimania 2018

Analysis of the target markets, of existing resources and of what is needed to reach the target markets; incorporation of changes and additions from stages 1, 2 and 3 into the comms as relevant.
Evaluation of the distribution and engagement methods, adaptation of the materials to the target market and their needs, isolation of delivery channels.
Creation of campaign, design of materials, translation of material, creation of delivery mechanisms.
Printing, publishing and distribution of materials to identified areas. Ensuring campaign informs the project expansion stage.

Status

Current outcome

Website improvement : Most of the website improvements have been done. The main element not finalized is the order system (all the work has been invoiced in advance).
A Wiki in Africa newsletter has been written and sent in May 2018 (French and English) to announce the new roll-up (amongst other topics)
Contacts have been added to the "friends and partners" database
An interview of Florence has been done for the Wikimedia Foundation Offline series with Anne Gomez and published on WMF blog: https://blog.wikimedia.org/2018/05/10/offline-access-wikipedia-wikifundi/
An awesome poster has been released for Wikimania : File:WikiFundi Generic Poster-A2.jpg (English version only. The French version is still pending)
WikiFundi was featured in several situations during Wikimania; such as obviously during the Poster session, but also during Wikimedia and Education on the 18th, during the Activating the next generation : Wikipedia in Schools on the 21st, as well as during Wikipedia and digital equity in Education: digital skills for life and free knowledge for the world on the 22nd.

Still needed

A communication strategy
official launch
Poster in French

Project expansion through partners

Research and analysis of potential partners within the education, offline and e-education phase, as well as possible partners within refugee, prison spaces.
Evaluation of the list and each target’s offering and the potential benefits of a partnership for the collective user.
Approach and discussion with targeted partners about possible collaboration or partnership.
Evaluation of partnerships, extensions and additional opportunities that have arisen out of this stage.

Status:

Collecting interested stakeholders to feed a database (for use when sending newsletters etc.). More needed. It is quite difficult to identify all the stakeholders to contact. A good solution seems to first improve the collaboration between all the current wikimedia offline actors (see below about the UserGroup)
Several potential partners were identified and contacted; several potential partnerships under discussion.

a company setting up hotspots in Africa and interested in working with us (that company is already a partner of Wikimedia France) to provide access to the tool in their own networks. I told them I would get back in touch with them when the software is getting ready ::2) a Unesco refugee camp in Cameroon would be interested in working with us as well (in particular for using the software).
in talks with Libraries without Borders about potential collaboration. Should go back to them once software available
Orange Foundation will update its own system with WikiFundi V2.
Internet in the box considering to add the software to their system.
A South Africa company contact (from Wikimania) to further explore in August/September

Wikimania was also the ground of several very interesting discussions for the future of WikiFundi. Discussions with several others in offline activities to figure out how to cut on hardware costs, a critical element in the project evolution. Potential directions identified with wikimed and Wikimedia India.
Regular discussions by email or hangout meetings with other wikimedians involved in offline projects, in particular around Async wikis (requests for funding to pay a developper to work on Async wikis)
We are currently considering creating an m:Offline Projects UserGroup.

End of July outcomes

Florence and Katherine posing in front of posters at Wikimania

What are the results of your project or any experiments you’ve worked on so far?

Please discuss anything you have created or changed (organized, built, grown, etc) as a result of your project to date.

Most of this is outlined in the previous section. Let me propose links to the various places of the current project

http://www.wikifundi.org (some improvements made to the website)
w:fr:Projet:WikiFundi main page for the new version
w:en:Wikipedia:WikiProject WikiFundi main page for the new version
https://github.com/openzim/wikifundi (git hub repository)

Finances

Please take some time to update the table in your project finances page. Check that you’ve listed all approved and actual expenditures as instructed. If there are differences between the planned and actual use of funds, please use the column provided there to explain them.

Then, answer the following question here: Have you spent your funds according to plan so far? Please briefly describe any major changes to budget or expenditures that you anticipate for the second half of your project.

Funds have been spend according to plan so far. There is no major change to budget. Finances table has been updated.

Technical budget was clearly planned too short (ends up cost 7000 euros when I had planned 3000 dollars...). I managed to find 2000 euros not spent from previous WikiFundi fund by Orange so reattributed it to tech development to increase the overall envelop (they agreed to that reallocation in Spring 2018). I also decided to reallocate the 1000 dollars planned for tech support for the tutorials to tech development. Currently trying to negotiate the remaining funds from Orange to receive in Fall to balance the remaining missing funds.

Learning

The best thing about trying something new is that you learn from it. We want to follow in your footsteps and learn along with you, and we want to know that you are taking enough risks to learn something really interesting! Please use the below sections to describe what is working and what you plan to change for the second half of your project.

What are the challenges

What challenges or obstacles have you encountered? What will you do differently going forward? Please list these as short bullet points.

Tech issues. Devs not available. Trying to identify people with the right skills
Lack of availability of the Com manager.

What is working well

What have you found works best so far? To help spread successful strategies so that they can be of use to others in the movement, rather than writing lots of text here, we'd like you to share your finding in the form of a link to a learning pattern.

talking of the project to other parties or stakeholders, that brings in excitement, suggestions, and perhaps new paths
got two volunteer people helping me at Wikimania to download the software and flash the cards. Was very nice of them

Your learning pattern link goes here

Next steps and opportunities

What are the next steps and opportunities you’ll be focusing on for the second half of your project? Please list these as short bullet points. If you're considering applying for a 6-month renewal of this grant at the end of your project, please also mention this here.

Need an extension to accommodate the lack of tech Human Resources
Finalize WikiFundi content.
Create explainer video and work on a communication/release strategy. The little challenge is that we originally planned to do that around Wikimania, which is likely a bit moot. Planning to do communication during Wikimania anyway (lightning talk, presentation poster), and a second wave at V2 release
Implement a distribution strategy; this include exploring this cost reduction strategy and change the website so that interested parties can request sets from it
Pursue the potential partnerships already uncovered and see for other options

Grantee reflection

We’d love to hear any thoughts you have on how the experience of being an grantee has been so far. What is one thing that surprised you, or that you particularly enjoyed from the past 3 months?

Last monthly updates

August

Mostly holidays to be fair...
More testing and bug fixing (Renaud/Emmanuel/Florence)
Discussion with partners
Wikimedians Offline wikis UserGroup approved as an affiliate ([2])

Done in September

Tech tests on time chip for hardware
Integration of new WikiFundi in Orange Digital School platforms and relaunch of a new education project using WikiFundi !
Meetings and/or discussion with potential partners (or at least informing them...). A bit difficult to reach out for people though (no answer from BSF for example...)
Discussions and testing around less expensive delivery options (with James from WikiMed)
email info to "core" interested parties
Finalize packages to propose on wikifundi website (content, prizes)
Work on the script of WikiFundi explainer video

Done in October

The posters were displayed at the Wikiconvention francophone along with leaflets, stickers...

WikiFundi was the focus of a lightning talk. Here, Georges, Nfana and Florence posing with the posters :)

Done: Presentation of WikiFundi during Wikiconvention francophone: a picture with Nfana and Georges
New release of UserGuide to include clarification to connexion and a few visuals now available... Manuel V2 and UserGuide V2.pdf
Improvements on order system on the wikifundi website.
Dev ongoing...

Done in November

Final release of the 5 versions done (small in French, small in English, complete in French, complete in English, French for schools). (Initially planned 4, but turned out to be 5 versions after discussion during the francophone convention where it was suggested we should do a small version with WikiFundi/Vikidia only for use in schools). Access
Arabic version of introductory video released (all 4 videos now available) (ar1, ar2, fr, en)
update of Website done http://www.wikifundi.org
update of meta page done m:wikifundi
new generic presentation done : c:File:WikiFundi generic presentation V2.pdf

Expected in November

WikiFundi explainer video ?
Communication campaign on release (explainer video, newsletter, information to core interested people, social media, wmf blog)
Submitting final report

Expected a bit later...

Update to the community during WikiIndaba (January 2020)
Two talks submitted (one in December for the https://www.opensourcesummit.paris) (both propositions rejected alas)

Is your final report due but you need more time?

Extension request

New end date

October 2018

Rationale

The project requires an extensive technical development. The tech project manager is Emmanuel and he informed us that the dev team is currently overbooked and can not get involved with WikiFundi at the moment. We are seeking for additional dev support, or will have to wait till the Kiwix team can accommodate WikiFundi in their overall roadmap. The non-dev tasks are proceeding more or less within schedule.

The publishing of the beta should be done at Wikimania. I will submit an update immediately after Wikimania. Anthere (talk)

update published above

Extension request

New end date

Let's take another month to finish that... November 2018 please...

Rationale

I am reliant on the tech team... 2 weeks ago, whilst I thought we were all set and planned release during the Wikiconvention francophone (with delivery of cards to a couple of teams), I uncovered a bug affecting the display of equations. And Maths is important for the education sector... See my bug report. Our bug queue is over wise clean [3] (only enhancement and one mediawiki bug which has been reported on fabricator). But bottom line... project is not over till its over. We can not really communicate on it either until the software IS available. So requesting another month...
This said, the result is awesome. And I understood the tech doc is really solid. You can take a peek from the demo, here to download and there on GitHub. Anthere (talk) 17:59, 17 October 2018 (UTC)

Extension approved

Approving a new project end date of November 30, 2018. Marti (WMF) (talk) 19:06, 17 October 2018 (UTC)

The new final report due date is 30 December 2018. -- JTud (WMF), Grants Administrator (talk) 19:40, 17 October 2018 (UTC)