Re: [Wikimedia-l] Let's map capacities! (Announcing the CCM)

[Asaf Bartov]

Hello again, everyone.

I'd like to respond to some questions, asked on and off list:

1. In the instructions, I described getting a group of people together to
discuss the group's capacities before submitting assessments.  The model I
had in mind was informal user groups, or volunteer-only chapter boards --
which is the case in the vast majority of the communities I work with.

However, for chapters that have staff, it makes sense to me that a single
staff member can submit assessments on behalf of the organization.  It's
for each org to decide whether and how it would like to perform the
assessments -- some may want a board discussion, while others may happily
delegate to the ED or to some other staff member.

2. The ~40 capacities described in the guidelines and listed in the table
are the result of some research and mapping efforts in the past couple of
years, but are not necessarily definitive and certainly not exhaustive.
This means you *can* add capacities that you think are missing, and that
you consider an important aspect to assess your group's capacity against.
To minimize disruption to the table, I ask that you propose new capacities
in the talk page of [[m:CCM]] first, so we can refine and discuss before
adding them to the table. (Some capacities may turn out to be aspects of
existing capacities, where a revision of the capacity description would
capture it well, etc.)

3. The current format, of a "table of doom", is just a simple attempt at
generating an overview.  I am happy to discuss other ways to collect this
information. For example, would a shared spreadsheet (like a Google Sheet)
be more convenient?  Or a series of Google Forms (one for each capacity?)
linked from the main page?  Or some custom data-entry and querying system?
(If this is preferred, I could build one, but I'd need help with UI design).

4. Finally, I realize the launch happened at a time many of you were on
vacation, holiday, or otherwise occupied.  So I take the opportunity to
encourage you once more to take some time to fill in at least some
assessments for your group (you don't have to do them all at once?).  I
would need to make some resource allocation decisions soon, and the more
data I have, the better I can judge where those resources would best be
utilized.

Cheers,

   Asaf

On Tue, Jan 23, 2018 at 7:14 PM Pine W  wrote:

> I agree with Tomasz that some UI love would be beneficial. I think that
> simplification of the language for people who are not native English
> speakers might also be beneficial.
>
> As I said before, I like the general concept. If affiliates and online
> communities can be persuaded to use this tool or one like it in a somewhat
> systematic way, the patterns in the data could be very interesting.
>
> Pine 
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Re: [Wikimedia-l] Let's map capacities! (Announcing the CCM)

[Pine W]

I agree with Tomasz that some UI love would be beneficial. I think that
simplification of the language for people who are not native English
speakers might also be beneficial.

As I said before, I like the general concept. If affiliates and online
communities can be persuaded to use this tool or one like it in a somewhat
systematic way, the patterns in the data could be very interesting.

Pine 
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Re: [Wikimedia-l] Let's map capacities! (Announcing the CCM)

[Tomasz Ganicz]

Interesting idea - but is it possible to make the table a bit more
user-friendly?

First of all is too long in horizontal axis - even in large resolution I
see only 1/2 of it on my screen, and due to its structure - it is not
possible to edit it in visual editor...



2018-01-15 22:59 GMT+01:00 Asaf Bartov :

> Dear Wikimedians,
>
> *How many Wikimedia communities have embraced advanced Wikidata use? How
> many have active social media accounts, and are there geographic or
> cultural patterns to which groups have and have not? Which groups have a
> written, current strategy? What are the most common gaps in capacity in
> Latin America? or in Eastern Europe? What kind of investment in capacity
> building would be likely to bring the most value?*
>
> To answer these questions and more, we invite all of you to participate in
> the new *Community Capacity Map (CCM)*: a *self-assessment exercise* for
> communities, groups (whether formally recognized user groups or not),
> thematic organizations, and chapters, to *map capacities* across the
> movement, with a view to identifying *existing gaps* as well as
> *opportunities
> for capacity-building*.
>
> The CCM is here on Meta:
> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Community_Capacity_Map
>
> The context for this work, as well as "likely-asked questions, with
> answers" ("LAQ"?), are explained here, including an answer to "*why should
> I take the time to read all this?*" --
> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Community_Capacity_Map/About
> (and also pasted at the bottom of this e-mail, for your convenience.)
>
> The self-assessment is to be done based on the detailed *Guidelines*
> provided
> here:
> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Community_Capacity_Map/Guidelines
>
> I am looking forward to learning more about your groups' and orgs'
> capacities and gaps, and to do my best to play matchmaker between those
> needs and our available resources and opportunities.  While I encourage you
> to begin contributing straightaway, *there is no deadline *-- this is
> envisioned to be a long-term, ongoing, and tracked-over-time tool -- so
> contribute if and when your group is able to make the time.
>
> (don't forget to scroll down to the LAQ!)
>
> Warmly,
>
> Asaf Bartov
> Senior Program Officer, Emerging Wikimedia Communities
>
> ==
> Likely-asked questions, with answers
> this exists with working links and [modest] formatting here:
> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Community_Capacity_Map/
> About#Likely-asked_questions,_with_answers
>
> Why do this at all?  The Community Resources team is doing this to attempt
> a more *comprehensive* view of capacities and gaps across the movement, to
> enhance our existing, anecdotal and ad-hoc, impressions of only some of the
> communities and affiliates. See the goal statement above. Why now?  The CCM
> experiment is an implementation of one of the recommendations made at the
> conclusion of the Community Capacity Development pilot year
>  Development/Overall_pilot_year_evaluation#Conclusions_
> and_recommended_next_steps>
> . Why should I spend the time to read through it or go through the
> self-assessment?  There are a couple of reasons you may want to put in the
> time: First, by self-assessing your group/organization's capacities and
> gaps, you are giving WMF and other potential investors in community
> capacity a chance to provide your group/org with resources and
> opportunities to *build up* those capacities. Secondly, self-assessing
> according to the Guidelines page
>  may be
> in itself a worthwhile exercise and discussion-starter for your group/org,
> pointing at potential areas for proactive work by *your org/group itself*,
> for example in your next annual plan. Finally, self-assessing (at least
> some) capacities today would enable you to review and re-assess in six
> months, or two years, and see how your group/org has developed (or not) in
> each of these aspects. So does WMF expect all groups and organizations to
> do this?  No. This is an opportunity and a tool. Like all other tools, you
> are free to use it or not, and we certainly understand that it would take
> time and that you may have more pressing priorities in your group/org. We
> *hope* as many groups, organizations, and communities eventually take the
> time to self-assess, at least on some capacities, but it is not mandatory,
> and there would be no penalty for not participating. Would we have to
> provide self-assessments for *all* of the capacities?  No. Feel free to
> self-assess on as many or as few capacities as you are able to, interested
> in, or find relevant. You can also add assessments gradually, as your
> group/org finds time to discuss and agree on assessments. Should I assess
> capacities in the context of my wiki community, my user-group/chapter, or
> 

Re: [Wikimedia-l] Let's map capacities! (Announcing the CCM)

[Pine W]

Interesting. The patterns that appear from this exercise could be
informative. I took a brief look at the tool and I think that it could be a
valuable opportunity for reflection by affiliates, particularly the more
complex ones and the ones that foresee themselves growing in complexity in
the near future.

I suggest that WMF participate in this reflection as well.

I would be interested to know any suggested methods for Wikimedia entities
which are not legal entities, such as English Wikipedia, to conduct this
self-assessment.

I have one suggestion regarding the tool itself. I think that in addition
to a column for financial controls, there should be a column for financial
transparency. My personal view is that donors should know, to the maximum
extent which is realistic, where every penny of their money has been spent
or is budgeted to be spent. I believe that this expectation is common for
numerous government organizations in the United States such as public
school districts. Topics for consideration under the topic of financial
transparency include:

1. Are all contracts and contract modifications and extensions published in
their entirety in advance of being signed, and is the public given
reasonable notice and opportunity to comment regarding the proposed
contracts, and are the amounts actually expended under those contracts made
public on a regular basis (such as quarterly or annually)?

2. Are all budgeted and actual labor expenses made public, including
amounts and terms for salaries, benefits, deferred compensation, severance
packages, meals, travel, and lodging, for every employee (that is, not only
at an abstract level but for each individual employee and for each type of
expense)?

3. For organizations with employees, does the organization produce a
detailed and comprehensive budget that is drafted months in advance of the
need to approve it, and is the public given multiple weeks to comment on
the complete proposed budget before it is finalized?

4. Are the amounts and individually identifiable subjects of budgeted and
actual legal expenses made public, such as attorney fees and settlement
costs for employment disputes?

Again, my belief is that donors should know exactly how their money has
been spent or is budgeted to be spent. Many government agencies adhere to
this standard in the U.S. and I think that every Wikimedia organization
should do the same, being mindful that they are custodians of money which
was donated to support stated Wikimedia goal(s) and mission(s).

Thanks for this initiative. I think that the tool and an overview of
affiliates' reflections could be valuable to discuss at the Wikimedia
Conference.

Pine 

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[Wikimedia-l] Let's map capacities! (Announcing the CCM)

[Asaf Bartov]

Dear Wikimedians,

*How many Wikimedia communities have embraced advanced Wikidata use? How
many have active social media accounts, and are there geographic or
cultural patterns to which groups have and have not? Which groups have a
written, current strategy? What are the most common gaps in capacity in
Latin America? or in Eastern Europe? What kind of investment in capacity
building would be likely to bring the most value?*

To answer these questions and more, we invite all of you to participate in
the new *Community Capacity Map (CCM)*: a *self-assessment exercise* for
communities, groups (whether formally recognized user groups or not),
thematic organizations, and chapters, to *map capacities* across the
movement, with a view to identifying *existing gaps* as well as *opportunities
for capacity-building*.

The CCM is here on Meta:
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Community_Capacity_Map

The context for this work, as well as "likely-asked questions, with
answers" ("LAQ"?), are explained here, including an answer to "*why should
I take the time to read all this?*" --
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Community_Capacity_Map/About
(and also pasted at the bottom of this e-mail, for your convenience.)

The self-assessment is to be done based on the detailed *Guidelines* provided
here:
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Community_Capacity_Map/Guidelines

I am looking forward to learning more about your groups' and orgs'
capacities and gaps, and to do my best to play matchmaker between those
needs and our available resources and opportunities.  While I encourage you
to begin contributing straightaway, *there is no deadline *-- this is
envisioned to be a long-term, ongoing, and tracked-over-time tool -- so
contribute if and when your group is able to make the time.

(don't forget to scroll down to the LAQ!)

Warmly,

Asaf Bartov
Senior Program Officer, Emerging Wikimedia Communities

==
Likely-asked questions, with answers
this exists with working links and [modest] formatting here:
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Community_Capacity_Map/About#Likely-asked_questions,_with_answers

Why do this at all?  The Community Resources team is doing this to attempt
a more *comprehensive* view of capacities and gaps across the movement, to
enhance our existing, anecdotal and ad-hoc, impressions of only some of the
communities and affiliates. See the goal statement above. Why now?  The CCM
experiment is an implementation of one of the recommendations made at the
conclusion of the Community Capacity Development pilot year

. Why should I spend the time to read through it or go through the
self-assessment?  There are a couple of reasons you may want to put in the
time: First, by self-assessing your group/organization's capacities and
gaps, you are giving WMF and other potential investors in community
capacity a chance to provide your group/org with resources and
opportunities to *build up* those capacities. Secondly, self-assessing
according to the Guidelines page
 may be
in itself a worthwhile exercise and discussion-starter for your group/org,
pointing at potential areas for proactive work by *your org/group itself*,
for example in your next annual plan. Finally, self-assessing (at least
some) capacities today would enable you to review and re-assess in six
months, or two years, and see how your group/org has developed (or not) in
each of these aspects. So does WMF expect all groups and organizations to
do this?  No. This is an opportunity and a tool. Like all other tools, you
are free to use it or not, and we certainly understand that it would take
time and that you may have more pressing priorities in your group/org. We
*hope* as many groups, organizations, and communities eventually take the
time to self-assess, at least on some capacities, but it is not mandatory,
and there would be no penalty for not participating. Would we have to
provide self-assessments for *all* of the capacities?  No. Feel free to
self-assess on as many or as few capacities as you are able to, interested
in, or find relevant. You can also add assessments gradually, as your
group/org finds time to discuss and agree on assessments. Should I assess
capacities in the context of my wiki community, my user-group/chapter, or
what?  It depends. It may make sense to do separate assessments, or just
one. For example, while the English community has plenty of bot builders
and technical experts, you may belong to a small community contributing in
English in a country with little or no bot-building expertise, such as
Wikimedians in Uganda. In this case, it would make sense to describe the
capacities of the Ugandan group you're part of, and not of the whole
English Wikipedia community. On the other hand, it is possible that