Talk:WMUK risk discussion

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The Risk Register

Most organizations use a system of "weights" on risk, and also mitigation. So, for a financial risk, the mitigation is more income. Usually done with charts and colours. Wondered if the mitigation side of things was worth thinking about now, as well as the effects of the risk? LoopZilla (talk) 14:54, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

Completely agree. This was Jon's initial top half dozen. Though I suggest it remains a simple and manageably short list, I would like to see assessments of impact (not just financial impact but other important measures such as reputation impact), likelihood, the contingency plan and residual risk (i.e. those risks that remain once the counter measure is in place). Ideally I would like to see some real churn as risks get managed and their ranking changes as a result. This way the top 5 risks for review in board meetings with the trustees (a standard part of their duties for the charity) would hopefully keep changing. --Fæ (talk) 15:24, 23 April 2012 (UTC)

Schisms with the foundation

Of course schism and even forking is a risk for the organisation in various ways, but I'm not sure that the best way to present this is in terms of "Schisms with the foundation" being a separate risk in its own right. My concern is that overly focussing on the risk of that relationship failing could lead to WMUK putting that relationship above others and adopting a strategy of defaulting to support of the Foundation in its many disputes with the movement. Perhaps a better way to express describe this risk would be to simply put that the Wikimedia Foundation's centralisation agenda is a risk to the chapter? WereSpielChequers (talk) 09:14, 24 April 2012 (UTC)

A very diplomatic proposal.

Jon Davies WMUK (talk) 09:47, 24 April 2012 (UTC)

I'm not sure the WMF would see it as diplomatic - I don't think they agree that they have a "centralisation agenda". It's probably best to keep the risks as neutral and uncontroversial as possible (we don't want the risk management to cause the very schism we're trying to avoid!). Perhaps we should just go with something general like "Risk of relationships with the international movement deteriorating"? It would be worth asking the WMF what risk monitoring they have in place with regards to movement relationships. --Tango (talk) 11:56, 24 April 2012 (UTC)

I agree with Tango here, and wonder whether point (iii) and (v) should be put together, with one point being internal fracturing with in the UK and the other being fracturing at an international level, which should not be put simply in terms with WMF but also in terms of any problems which could arise with other chapters.Leutha (talk) 13:35, 24 April 2012 (UTC)

Comments

I see the main financial risk as being loss of reputation, possibly leading to some WikiLeaks style blockage by PayPal etc. The second of these is very extreme, but the risk of some "scandal" seriously impacting our reputation, rightly or wrongly, and so very directly our fundraising, must be considerable.

Another risk is an alternative project replacing WP; if this was also Open Content, it might be appropriate to switch our support to that of course.

Otherwise a falling-out of some sort with the foundation, or even just them moving the goalposts significantly re fundraising and the use of their trademarks in fundraising, seem the most serious risks, apart from the inevitable risks of running any organization. Unfortunately both of these major risks could materialize very quickly, and the degree to which WMUK can take preventative measures is rather limited. Johnbod (talk) 19:09, 24 April 2012 (UTC)

Reputation.

In the past few days, Andres Breivik has been in the news.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/norway/9218529/Anders-Behring-Breivik-trial-Six-days-in-the-company-of-a-mass-murderer.html

As for this work, Breivik admitted that “50-60 per cent” was copied from the internet. And what was the principal source for his world view? The killer’s answer to this was emphatic: “Wikipedia,” he said. “The English articles there contained a lot of information.” How had he found out how to make a bomb? “Everything is on the internet,” said Breivik. “Everything. You need to know what you’re looking for, but you can find it.”

The world has always had its Breiviks – in the 19th century, lone anarchists tried to inflict carnage on European capitals. But today, a Breivik need only sit in his bedroom to discover everything he needs to know about killing human beings, while immersing himself in a world of fantasy courtesy of virtual reality computer games – and imbibing his selected facts from Wikipedia.

This is just one example of the misuse of Wikipedia, and could therefore affect WMUK. LoopZilla (talk) 14:44, 25 April 2012 (UTC)