Movement roles/Proposal

The following is a draft for a proposal to clarify the process of the Movement Roles working group over the coming year. A version of it will be discussed at the next Wikimedia Foundation Board meeting.

Background

The structure of the Wikimedia movement has evolved organically without much deliberation about the direction or the roles and responsibilities of the different players. Beside the Wikimedia Foundation, there currently are 29 established Wikimedia chapters and some other groups with ambiguously defined roles. The strategy for the growth of Wikimedia calls for an expansion of the activities of chapters and for the growth of new chapters or other entities all over the world. While this expansion can bring the sum of human knowledge to many more people, it could increase organizational complexity and confusion among all of the entities within the Wikimedia movement.

Therefore, Wikimedia as a whole needs to develop clarity around roles and responsibilities within the network of Wikimedia entities now and in the future. There is a need for a shared understanding of where Wikimedia is as an organization today, and how it can grow in scale: i.e. become more successful where it already is, and become a real global organization with a presence everywhere - not just in developed countries.

A strong decentralized movement structure is important to the development of the international Wikimedia movement, and this is something the Foundation actively supports. In early 2010, Board Trustees Jan-Bart de Vreede and Arne Klempert had some formal and informal conversations with several stakeholders - many during the chapters meeting in Berlin - to develop a better understanding of possible courses of action. At Wikimania 2010, the board created a Board workgroup "to manage the movement roles project and develop recommendations that will lead to a formal resolutions to be considered by the Board of Trustees", chaired by Arne.

After subsequent discussions and a call for nominations the workgroup was expanded to include Chapters members in August (see section "Steering Committee"). Since then the workgroup had a few conference calls to develop a draft proposal about its scope and aims (below). An initial publication and announcement of this draft prompted discussion both on- and off-wiki by members of the community, resulting in significant improvements to the document.

Proposal

Purpose of the movement roles project

The purpose of the movement roles project is to clarify the roles and responsibilites of different entities, groups and people working to support the international Wikimedia movement. We believe that this is crucial to set up the Wikimedia movement for growth and success in its mission to bring the sum of human knowledge to all people, which will require yet more scaling and reach in those parts of the world. We hope that this will position the Wikimedia to achieve its full potential by remaining coherent as it grows – avoid the risk of drowning in its own complexity, or fragmenting into a set of vaguely related but incoherent affiliates working towards similar goals. By tackling these emerging issues now they can be solved more easily. Letting movement roles issues fester will make them harder to solve.

Deliverable

Recommendations for the development of Wikimedia as a global network of organizations to enable the Wikimedia movement to scale its impact and order of magnitude. It will:

• Address current issues and investigate models that allow a strong global network including currently underrepresented regions (more than to deliver a consensus among current stakeholders)
• Build on fundamental best principles, not incremental changes from current structures and systems

The recommendations will include a "charter' which will be clear and endorsable by the entire Wikimedia movement, and need no revision for at least three years.

Key Issues

1. What roles in the Wikimedia movement should be played by:
   • National chapters
   • Subnational chapters
   • Chapter committee and other groups among chapters
   • The Wikimedia Foundation
   • Other and new entities
2. What are the rights and responsibilities of entities in the Wikimedia movement:
   • Rights of chapters and other entities to represent and initiate partnerships on behalf of Wikimedia in their countries
   • Responsibilities of chapters to dues paying members, other volunteers in the country, and the rest of the Wikimedia movement
   • Rights to use the brand name
   • Responsibility to raise money to support Wikimedia worldwide
3. How should decisions be made within the Wikimedia movement
   • Specifically, which decisions should be made within chapters and other entities, which decisions for the movement should be made by Wikimedia Foundation, and which decisions for the movement should involve chapters and the Wikimedia Foundation. For decisions that should involve chapters and the Wikimedia Foundation, what process should chapters and the Wikimedia Foundation follow to make decisions together.
4. How money should flow within the Wikimedia movement
   • Where is the responsibility for raising money: Foundation; chapters, old and new
   • How much money raised by any entity is shared with the movement
   • How transparent do entities need to be with money they retain
   • How are movement costs distributed among entities
5. How can the Wikimedia movement build coherence as it grows, not confusion
   • Leadership in an increasingly global movement
   • Clarity of focus on goals for impact
   • Strength of complementary relationships to bind the movement
6. What changes need to be managed for existing chapters
   • “Grandfathered” roles, duties or rights for existing chapters
   • “Sunset” schedule for “grandfathered” arrangements
   • A process for changing from current to future arrangements

Operating Principles

The project will reflect the board affirmation of “the importance of a strong, decentralized movement structure and its own responsibility to lead organizational development of the international Wikimedia movement”

1. The process will be transparent, incorporating the input of any and all interested parties.
2. A workgroup will make sure that steady progress is being made towards the determined goals. This workgroup is responsible for making a recommendation, reflecting input, and presenting a “neutral” view when inputs and perspectives conflict.
3. The Wikimedia Foundation Board will consider the recommendations of the workgroup before endorsing the new charter.
4. The Wikimedia Foundation Board will ask the Wikimedia movement worldwide to support and agree on the new charter.

Stakeholders

Key stakeholders will include the Wikimedia Foundation (board and staff), Wikimedia chapters (both existing and in active development, Chapters committee - formally a part of Wikimedia Foundation (as a board committee), volunteers, and informal groups which are looking for organizational participation or recognition.

Approach

To address these issues will require a mixture of facts, frameworks and facilitation.

1. Together we will develop a fact base of:
   • Current and projected needs of Wikimedia entities and movement members
   • Best demonstrated practices within Wikimedia and from global movements
2. To facilitate decisions we will employ select frameworks, such as:
   • Decision-making roles, e.g. RAPID
   • Effectiveness in global NGO networks

Timing

This work will be tackled in phases, separated by the milestones of Wikimedia meetings. The main deliverable from each phase will be the preparation for decisions at the meeting.

1. Wikimedia Foundation Board Meeting, Oct 2010
   • Confirms the composition of the extended workgroup as a Steering Committee
   • Endorses the proposal of the workgroup
   • Encourages all stakeholders to engage actively in the process
2. Steering Committee Meeting, Jan 2011
   • Reviews of needs of Wikimedia movement
   • Analyzes best demonstrated practices
   • Develops hypotheses for decision-making processes
   • Sketches out initial draft of charter
3. Steering Committee and Chapters Meeting, March 2011
   • Discusses draft of charter to be recommended by Wikimania 2011
   • Schedules discussion of draft charter at chapters and other entities before Wikimania
4. Wikimania, August 2011
   • Steering Committee ecommends charter to Wikimedia Foundation board for approval or amendment
   • Board discusses recommendation and input from chapters and other entities
   • Board announces its endorsement to all attending Wikimania and any ratification plan

Steering Committee

The Steering Committee to make sure that steady progress is being made to develop the charter will include:

• Morgan Chan (Wikimedia Hong Kong board member; Chinese Wikimedia conference organizer)
• Bence Damokos (Wikimedia Hungary board member; Chapters committee member)
• Bishakha Datta (Wikimedia Foundation board member)
• SJ Klein (Wikimedia Foundation board member)
• Arne Klempert (Wikimedia Foundation board member; Chair of the workgroup)
• Barry Newstead (Wikimedia Foundation staff; Chief Global Development Officer)
• Galileo Vidoni (Wikimedia Argentina board member)
• Alice Wiegand (Wikimedia Deutschland board member; Involved in WM-DE's and WMF's strategy processes)

Advising and facilitating:

• Jon Huggett (Consultant with 25 years of experience in the field of management of global NGOs and businesses)
• Austin Hair (Chapters committee member and long-time community volunteer)

The Steering Committee may adjust its own membership as needed