Wikimedia UK - User contributions [en]

WikiConference UK 2013/Lessons

2013-06-14T19:43:21Z

Jonathan Cardy: comments

Stuff we learned from running conferences (e.g. 2013 AGM).

* Get speakers to provide their presentations up front
** and load them onto the PC in the room they are presenting in [[User:Jonathan Cardy|Jonathan Cardy]] ([[User talk:Jonathan Cardy|talk]]) 19:43, 14 June 2013 (UTC)
* Test connectivity for all types of laptop/projector
* Make sure that plug sockets are available for attendees
* Lincoln is a pain to get to if you don't have a car - perhaps next time have it outside London, but in a major, easily accessible city rather than a small, picturesque city?
**Ideally, it should be on a semi-formal rotation: eg. year 1 - major city in England / year 2 - Wales / year 3 - picturesque town in England / year 4 - Scotland, year 5 - major city in England, and on we go... This is something we've also discussed as a guiding pattern for the EduWiki conference. --[[User:Toni Sant (WMUK)|Toni Sant (WMUK)]] ([[User talk:Toni Sant (WMUK)|talk]]) 16:31, 14 June 2013 (UTC)
*** We've been alternating it, even years in London and odd years out of London. Next year, I guess it would make most sense to hold the AGM at Wikimania 2014 in London, rather than also doing a separate WikiConference... [[User:Mike Peel|Mike Peel]] ([[User talk:Mike Peel|talk]]) 16:43, 14 June 2013 (UTC)
** Perhaps we should alternate between Manchester and London? [[User:Jonathan Cardy|Jonathan Cardy]] ([[User talk:Jonathan Cardy|talk]]) 19:43, 14 June 2013 (UTC)
* Break-out rooms were a little out of the way from the plenary room, so getting people to go to the break-out sessions was difficult.
**If there is one session in the main room and a distant breakout room then you risk having no-one in the breakout session and half the audience in the main room being more interested in Coffee and gossip. Better to have a coffee area and two separate breakout rooms - though that does increase your minimum number of rooms to three. Alternatively make sure your "marmite sessions" are in the coffee area, that way you guarantee audiences in the breakout area. [[User:Jonathan Cardy|Jonathan Cardy]] ([[User talk:Jonathan Cardy|talk]]) 19:43, 14 June 2013 (UTC)
* Note that registration form dictates name badge.
**It would be nice if the form had options for what was to appear on the badge. e.g. Real name, user name, both, other. Maybe have similar set of options for paper and online delegate lists.
**It would be nice from a Teller's point of view if there were something on delegates' badges denoting those attendees who are members. -- [[User:LondonStatto|LondonStatto]] ([[User talk:LondonStatto|talk]]) 23:35, 11 June 2013 (UTC)
*** Could we hand out ballot pages at the registration desk when they arrive - perhaps for both elections and resolutions? Having things like stickers on delegate badges isn't actually that useful when there a number of delegates present, as they can be rather difficult to spot (looking for 'do not photograph' stickers wasn't easy). Thanks. [[User:Mike Peel|Mike Peel]] ([[User talk:Mike Peel|talk]]) 15:23, 13 June 2013 (UTC)
****This wouldn't work if people are allowed to apply for and be approved as members up to a meeting that happens after registration starts, and in fact approved members were renewing their memberships right up to the point of vote. Perhaps what could happen is at the first order of business of the AGM session is members being checked as having a valid membership on Civi and issued the ballot paper and sticker for the reverse of their lanyard which they hold up when voting to indicate their vote is valid. The checking on Saturday was fairly swift I think? [[User:Katherine Bavage (WMUK)|Katherine Bavage (WMUK)]] ([[User talk:Katherine Bavage (WMUK)|talk]]) 15:54, 13 June 2013 (UTC)
***** They could be asked to return to the registration desk at the start of the AGM to check that their membership has been approved and to pick up their ballot papers - that would also help avoid the confusion people had at the start of the AGM about whether they'd been approved as members or not. The checking at the AGM was indeed very swift and effective, though, which was great (thanks tellers and staff!). Thanks. [[User:Mike Peel|Mike Peel]] ([[User talk:Mike Peel|talk]]) 10:01, 14 June 2013 (UTC)
******Because of photocopiers I would council against giving out ballot papers hours in advance, unless you've done something sneaky like numbering them or clipping them all with an unusual shaped clipper. [[User:Jonathan Cardy|Jonathan Cardy]] ([[User talk:Jonathan Cardy|talk]]) 19:43, 14 June 2013 (UTC)
* If dinner/drinks the evening before is contemplated, let all attendees know the place and time well in advance.

==See also==
*[[WikiConference UK 2012/Community reflections]]

[[Category:Lessons]]
[[Category:WikiConference UK 2013]]

V&A Wikilounge

2011-07-15T13:14:23Z

Jonathan Cardy: /* Registration for Wikimedian volunteers */ sign

<center>
===Victoria and Albert Museum <span style="color:salmon;letter-spacing:0.2em">Wikilounge</span>===

===Saturday 16th July 2011===
</center>
[[File:VictoriaAlbert2 small.jpg|thumb|Courtyard in the Victoria and Albert Museum]]
[[File:Tipu's Tiger front view 2006AH4173.jpg|thumb|Front view of Tipu's Tiger.]]
The [[:wikipedia:Victoria and Albert Museum|Victoria and Albert Museum]] are running a [http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/w/web-weekend/ Web Weekend] and have invited Wikimedia UK to take part by holding a public Wikilounge. This is a joint outreach event to encourage new contributors to help with improving the access to cultural content. The V&A will be running a page on their website, there will be a hashtag recommended for tweets and there will be notices for the public about what is going on in the Sackler Centre.

This page is for registration of supporting Wikimedians either hosting and coaching members of the public or joining to help with the parallel editathon activities. Members of the public interested in dropping by do not have to register.
__TOC__

==Logistics==
*Location: [http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/r/rooms-for-hire-at-v-and-a/ Seminar Room 2], [http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/s/sackler-centre-for-arts-education-at-the-vanda/ Sackler Centre] in the V&A. [[File:Gfi-set01-unesco-cultural-heritage.png|20px]] '''[http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=Victoria%20and%20Albert%20Museum,%20London&btnG=Google+Search&ie=Victoria%20and%20Albert%20Museum%2C%20London&oe=Victoria%20and%20Albert%20Museum%2C%20London&sa=N&tab=pl&z=18 Map]
*Coordinator: {{w|User:Fæ|Fae}}, WM-UK director
*Hashtag for Twitter: #webweekend
*Numbers: The room easily holds up to 20 at any one time with plenty of natural light via massive windows. There is additional comfy seating in the Sackler downstairs.
**At least 4 Wikipedians will be available to support public interest by answering questions, giving demonstrations or edit coaching sessions
*Facilities
**free Wifi
**beverages and lunch for volunteers provided
**plenty of power-points, re-arrangeable desks and chairs and mains extension cables
**four PCs with internet access for the public to have a go at editing
**presentation screen

==Programme==
''The programme is a framework, if there is enough interest in any particular topic on the day (such as batch upload to Wikimedia Commons) then we can start a parallel session. Remote e-volunteers are part of the day and engagement with the virtual world via IRC, Skype and tweeting will be explored.
*Volunteers should aim to be at the venue at 10.30 and bring their own laptops.
*Public introductory sessions will be at 11, 12.30, 14.30, 16.00 (but welcome to drop by and join in at any time)
**The sessions will be a short walkthrough of Wikimedia, Wikipedia and sister projects and an editing demonstration with Q&A. There are two "loaner" laptops so the public can have a go straight away and will be encouraged to help with the editathon (in particular with non-English Wikipedia versions).
*Parallel all day mini-editathon will focus on selected V&A artefacts with good potential for multi-language interest with {{w|Tipu's Tiger}} as the key article for improvement, particularly with versions needed in South Asian languages. Photographs are allowed in the museum and this may also be an area for improvement.
*Lunch around 1.30 will be provided by the V&A along with refreshments at other times.
*Close at 17.30 (Sackler closes at 17.45), possibly going on to a social venue for wind-down.

==Registration for Wikimedian volunteers==
Please add your name and drop an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:EmailUser/F%C3%A6 email to Fae] if you would like to help support the event, if you can be available all day or part of the day and your scope of interest (helping the public, editathon, language skills, photographs etc.). Note, to be an official helper V&A security will need your name registered (Fae can forward your real name on your behalf), if you prefer to stay under your Wikiname, then you need not "officially" register with the V&A but it would be useful to have your name below to help our coordination.

Note, as well as a free lunch, we expect to be able to offer a limited number of free special exhibition tickets as a reward for official helpers.

*{{w|User:Fæ|Fae}} - Helping with general coordination, demonstrations or editathon activity.
*{{w|User:Tom Morris|Tom Morris}} - can do photographs, sister project stuff, bring some laptops along
*{{w|User:Leutha|Leutha}} - general help, wikiversity
*{{w|User:Johnbod|Johnbod}} - as Fae, maybe pm only
*{{w|User:Philafrenzy|Philafrenzy}} - I will attend. Did some photos of pieces for Commons last time I was there.
*{{w|User:Andrew Davidson|Andrew Davidson}} - Expect to be working in morning but will come when I can.
*{{w|User:Jdforrester|James Forrester}} - only there for the morning really (bringing the pop-up signs!)
*{{w|User:Peter cohen|Peter Cohen}} - It's on the way to [http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/whats-on/2011/july-16/3 where I am in the evening]. I therefore hope to be able to offer some time helping people edit. I'll try to get there for lunchtime.
* [[User:Jonathan Cardy|Jonathan Cardy]] 13:14, 15 July 2011 (UTC)

==Questions==
# How exactly is remote participation to be achieved?
#* We are planning to use IRC and can set up a bot so that a relevant hashtag has messages copied direct into the same IRC channel (this will encourage general public interaction). We are open to trying out other interactive methods if they are suggested and practical.
# What other topics besides Tipu's Tiger can be edited?
#* Any V&A related topics and artefacts. In the first instance we want to ensure that Tipu's Tiger is significantly improved in English and created in several other languages, particularly languages used in India.

{{Cultural partnerships}}