User:ꠢꠣꠍꠘ ꠞꠣꠎꠣ/Feedback on LangCom
Accountability and Processes
editThe Wikimedia Language Committee (LangCom) plays a critical role in supporting the development and graduation of new language projects. However, there appears to be a lack of accountability in its operations. The absence of clear deadlines and consistent updates has resulted in delays, leaving communities without clarity on the status of their projects.
For instance, projects meeting all criteria for graduation often face extended waiting periods without adequate explanation. This undermines the trust of contributors who have invested significant time and effort in these projects.
LangCom Delays and Impact
editDelays in graduating projects from the Incubator can have severe consequences, including reduced contributor motivation and lost opportunities for growth in smaller language communities. When projects remain in limbo for extended periods, the momentum of community involvement diminishes, ultimately impacting the success of Wikimedia’s mission to support underrepresented languages.
Inconsistency in Decision-Making
editOne of the most concerning aspects of LangCom’s operations is the inconsistency in its decision-making processes. The only thing that seems consistent is inconsistency itself. A frequently cited justification for this is that “every language is not the same.”
This inconsistency often begins at the very first step: the verification of proposals. According to the Incubator project deletion policy. This inconsistency often begins with the verification of proposals. According to the Incubator project deletion policy, verified projects are protected from deletion. However, LangCom members frequently bypass this step, stating that verification is not necessary in certain cases. As a result, projects that are not intentionally verified remain vulnerable to deletion, even when they show potential or meet community needs.
While linguistic diversity should be respected, it cannot be used as an excuse for inconsistent practices. Establishing clear, standardized guidelines that apply universally would help ensure fairness and transparency without compromising the unique needs of each language.
Enhancing Communication and Responsiveness
editCurrently, communities need to check whether any Langcom members are active. On many occasions, a message left on the Langcom talk page goes unattended, and the bot archives it after 31 days. After that, everyone forgets about it. The status updates of Langcom members' availability are important, such as indicating if they are away or inactive, so it will be clear whether more Langcom members are needed.
Challenges in LangCom’s Graduation Process
editThe current graduation process for Incubator projects is both complex and slow. While maintaining high standards for project viability is essential, the lack of streamlined procedures and predictable timelines has created unnecessary challenges for contributors.
To address this, I propose:
- Establishing clear deadlines for each step of the graduation process.
- Increasing community involvement in decision-making to ensure that LangCom’s actions align with the needs of contributors.
- Restructure the Language Committee for Greater Efficiency and Accountability. To address the issues with LangCom’s current approach, I propose dissolving the existing committee and forming a new, more dynamic team. This restructured committee will have clear deadlines, defined accountability, and policies focused on resolving challenges effectively. It will also adopt a more proactive stance in identifying and addressing bad actors from neighboring languages, ensuring that the decision-making process remains free of external interference or tactics that could hinder progress. The new committee should prioritize transparency, streamline processes, and create a more responsive environment for contributors.