Proposal: Strategic Plan Proposal

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==Background==

From 25–27 March, Andrew Owens and I attended the Wikimedia Chapters Conference in Berlin, Germany, on behalf of Wikimedia Australia.  One of the conclusions we quickly came to is that chapters that have been successful in their programs and aims are all driven by a strategic plan that outlines what the chapter should be doing, what is within scope, and how those aims will be met. 

This is a proposal to appoint a subcommittee of individuals to write such a document for Wikimedia Australia and to present it for approval by both the membership and the committee.

==Goal==

The objective is the creation of a strategic plan that outlines the goals and strategies of the organisation up to 2015.  This plan will not be intended as a straightjacket on what we do for the next four years, but as an aid to acting in a coordinated fashion, an indicator of where we see ourselves going, and a high-level idea of how we will get there.  Future proposals and ideas can then be assessed against the strategic plan to see how well they match our vision, and financial planning can be undertaken to ensure that these proposals and ideas remain financially feasible.

==Benefits of having a Strategic Plan==

There are many benefits to having a strategic plan, and most organisations of our size, whether in the not-for-profit or commercial sector, have moved to implement one.  Specific enumerable benefits would be:
* New proposals introduced by members could be assessed against the plan to see if they meet the strategic goals of the organisation, and to see if they overlap with any existing proposed work
* Answers questions about what the purpose of the organisation is, and what it does
* Provides measurable benchmarks to see if the organisation is meeting or making progress towards its goals
* Makes financial planning simpler, by providing a clearer picture of future activity
* Improves relations with Wikimedia Foundation, by providing a picture of the direction the chapter is moving in and which activities are within the WMF scope.

==Composition of Subcommittee==

It was often observed at the Chapters conference that despite their enthusiasm, the typical Wikimedian does not have the correct skillset to manage and grow an organisation like Wikimedia Australia.  While I would contend that the Australian chapter has been extremely fortunate in the skills that board members have brought forward so far, it is also desirable that outside views are represented.
Therefore, a sponsor should be selected from the committee, who can then nominate people to this subcommittee.  It is envisaged that the subcommittee will consist of a mixture of committee members, ordinary members of the organisation, and where necessary, external people with specialised and helpful skills.
As a part of the proposal, a general call for members interested in joining this subcommittee should be made, with applications going directly to the project sponsor. 

==Timeline==

It is hoped that a substantially finished document can be ready to be ratified by the committee before 30 June, 2011.  Before that happens, the following milestones need to occur.
* Appointment of subcommittee by the project sponsor
* Draft document prepared by subcommittee, and presented to members for feedback
* Feedback from members examined and any changes required made to the document
* Final draft presented to members and committee for final approval
* Committee approves implementation of the strategic plan by motion

==Budget==

It is not anticipated that a budget will be required to bring this plan to fruition.