Wikimedia Conference 2018

Revision as of 13:34, 13 May 2018 by Pru.mitchell (talk | contribs) (edits)

UNDER CONSTRUCTION - May 2018

The Wikimedia Conference was held in Berlin 20-22 April 2018

Pru Mitchell, President and Robert Myers, Treasurer represented Wikimedia Australia.

Pre-conference training days

What makes a Board successful?

Major learning from this workshop is that we need a policy on whether board members are allowed to take any position paid by the board. In some countries it is illegal, especially if registered as a charity. In other countries a particular wording can allow this in some circumstances. We need to check our constitution and processes BEFORE we start process of employing or contracting. Conflict of interest - it is not sufficient to avoid actual COI, must avoid appearance of COI - need code of conduct.

Who has what responsibilities?

This was a major discussion. In many cases the annual plan and budget must be approved by the members at AGM/General Assembly. In WM-AU the committee wear various hats (volunteers, members, and committee), and thus are in danger of conflicts of interest between AGM (members) - Board (Exec Director - Staff if we get to this stage).

What are our biggest risks?

  • Stability of the Board - 1 year turn over is too often - move to 2-3 year
  • maximum board period should be 6 years to avoid policy paralysis, political imbalance
  • reputational risk: Do NOT stuff up here - look at everything within reputation risk. Who is mitigating these risks?

* Check these policies from Wikimedia UK https://wikimedia.org.uk/wiki/Constitution


Conference Day 1

With the formal conference starting there were 79 countries represented, 7 people registered who were denied visas.

The organisers have set up a lovely place for recognition of Craig and Krzysztof Machocki

Orientation for Newcomers

First timers to the Wikimedia Conference started the Wikimedia Conference with introductions to each other and an introduction to the history of the Wikimedia movement from Delphine Menard, WMF. A useful outline of different milestones which led to the current organisational status.

The Plenary: The Big Picture

After welcomes and speeches from Nicolle Ebber, Cornelius, WMDE, Katherine Maher (Executive Director) and Christophe Henner from Board of Trustees, the first plenary workshop was expertly facilitated by three guys including Rob Lancaster (Canberra). How do we contextualize and apply the strategic direction? How can we implement it in our own organisations, and communities, and align our strategies, goals and programs? Discussion about how the strategy could change our work in the next 3 years? What could we be doing more of, less of, new? What are the opportunities?

Affiliate Chairperson's meeting Lunchtime was spent in a fairly intense Affiliate chairperson’s meeting where Nicolle Ebber, Process Lead Strategy Phase II shared the plans for this coming year. 2018-19 is being considered a transition year where questions will be asked (and hopefully answered) about the strategy and how it will affect roles, resources and responsibilities.

Development of the Wikimedia organizations was discussion. Tim & Hector, WMDE prepared a discussion note: Development_of_organisations_of_the_Wikiverse_–_what_do_we_need_to_evolve? It was agreed that there was a role for a body for sharing governance knowledge for organisations. Simple APG takes on this role - it is not part of its role, but it does it because no one else does - and it is appreciated. Others raised the need for local affiliates crisis management - currently done in an adhoc way. The need for a better alarm system which is monitored included risk management strategies such as a whistle blower policy for Boards. A small arbitration committee that is trained to act when this is required was recommended.

Wikimedia finance system was another major topic. Michal Buczynski and Mykola Kozlenko prepared a discussion note: Development_of_organisations_of_the_Wikiverse_–_how_should_we_disseminate_the_funds?

Does the current grants system work? Some say no. It was developed in another time, and there was a wish to move to a partnership model. The current system requires more staffing to provide assistance, mentoring, understanding the process, and understanding why a budget is cut or grant not successful. This needs to be a year round process. Two options: we could have open slather on grants for 2 years, or we could have a freeze for 2 years.

Structured Data on Commons

I had planned go to the session on Structured Data on Commons changes Wikimedia Commons! By the time the chairperson's lunch session finished there was not one square inch of room left on the floor in that room, so hopefully there will be plenty of notes available from people who were in the session. Not much on Twitter, and when I asked people they said it was a small pilot at present. Watch for more detail in late September.


Strategy Track

So I ended up back in the very interactive Strategic workshop this time on Challenges - looking at concrete areas about where change is needed, and discussing what blocks us from moving forward.

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