Announcement of WG members and first in-person meetings
Set-up continuation, WG diversification process
Scoping WG work with community input round
Materials and research analysis, including in-person discussions and online community feedback round
In-person working group meetings, in-person strategy discussions and online community consultation, drafting recommendations, WG and community discussions conclusion
Working groups put finishing touches on their work; working groups dissolve
Recommendations synthesis and analysis, community discussions, presenting synthesized recommendations to the movement and Board of Trustees
Integrating feedback into the recommendations, finalizing the recommendations
Final recommendations published; transition from recommendations to implementation
In 2016, Wikimedia turned 15 and we started wondering about what we want to build or achieve together over the next 15 years.
In 2017, the Movement embarked on a participatory and adaptive Movement Strategy Process, to define what Wikimedia will look like in 2030, and how we want our projects, our communities and the free knowledge ecosystem to evolve. The first major milestone was the publication and endorsement of the Strategic Direction.
In 2018, we started to explore how we can update our structures and programs so that we can successfully and strongly advance in our Strategic Direction. Movement organizations began to incorporate the concepts of Knowledge Equity and Knowledge as a Service in their strategic and annual plans. In addition, a coordinated, exploratory process was initiated at WMCON 2018 to define what structural changes are necessary for the movement to be ready for the future.
In the second half of 2018, working groups were established to develop concrete recommendations for structural changes in 9 thematic areas that would help us move forward in our strategic direction. Close to 100 Wikimedians formed into nine working groups, each focused on one thematic area. Work began by the end of the year.
In March 2019, the working groups produced scoping documents outlining a set of guiding questions that would help them analyze the Movement. Based on the initial scope, conversations, and research, the working groups began developing the first draft of the recommendations. While this was happening, broad-reaching conversations were also conducted on- and offline to identify needs and priorities from online communities and affiliate groups that could help shape the recommendations.
In June 2019, strategy salons - in-person meetings hosted by affiliate groups with their community members and a few external partners - started taking place. Between June and September, 48 strategy salons were held in 29 countries.
In August 2019, draft recommendations for change were published online and presented at Wikimania 2019. The Movement shared input, perspectives, and thoughts in person and online that the working groups could use to refine the recommendations.
In September 2019, the working groups developed the second iteration of the recommendations, 89 in total across the nine groups. Working groups dissolved by the beginning of November. At the end of 2019, a small team of writers (made up of former working group members) began synthesizing the recommendations to create one comprehensive, coherent set.
In early 2020, the synthesized, pre-final set of recommendations were published for the Movement to understand them, reflect on what they mean in their project, local, or thematic context, and provide feedback.
From March to April 2020, the extensive feedback was integrated into the recommendations. The Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees also reviewed the recommendations once more following an earlier review in February, and requested some final revisions. After discussions, the revisions were integrated and the recommendations finalized.
In May 2020, the Wikimedia 2030 Movement Strategy Recommendations were published and shared with the Movement to start conversations to transition to implementation. It features 10 recommendations and 10 underlying principles and outlines a guide for change for how we will collaboratively create the future of our Movement.
Following the publication of the recommendations, the focus of Movement Strategy will be shifting, starting from June 2020, toward how to transition to the implementation phase.
Process steps, from scoping to recommendations
Discussing scoping documents at the Wikimedia Summit 2019. March 2019
Getting community input on draft recommendations at Wikimania 2019. August 2019
Synthesizing 89 recommendations into one set. October 2019 to January 2020
Community conversations. January to February 2020
Integrating input to create the final recommendations. March to April 2020
The Wikimedia 2030 Movement Strategy Recommendations are published. May 2020
Movement Strategy Conversations and Presentations at Events