Wikimedia Conference 2015/Programme team

The programme team for the Wikimedia Conference 2015 is a volunteer-led group soliciting input and selecting proposals for content and activities during the Wikimedia Conference 2015 event in Zürich, Switzerland.

Team mandate

The team is tasked with:

Getting input from Wikimedia affiliates, and the Wikimedia Foundation (including its Affiliations Committee), on what topics would most merit discussion or resolution at the rare (and expensive!) face-to-face opportunity this event offers.
Ranking or prioritizing the input, applying its best judgment, to select a small group of topics or questions to address
Coming up with suitable activities, session formats, and/or invited speakers to effectively address or discuss the chosen topics and questions

This is all much harder than it sounds. The main challenges are low participation, vague inputs, and lack of timely response from prospective speakers.

Still sounds like something you'd be interested in doing? Please volunteer below!

Process

Once a team is assembled (tentative deadline: Nov 10, 2014), it will hold a video conference to establish a process, divide work, and schedule additional calls.

The target should be a complete programme (subject to change) by mid-February at the latest, to allow affiliates time to discuss topics internally and to prepare their delegates to maximize effectiveness during the face-to-face meeting.

(details to be added following first team call.)

Team members

The team will self-assemble, for the lack of any other established process. The host organization (WMCH) will have at least one representative on the programme team, as will the Wikimedia Foundation. The rest of the team will consist of volunteers listing themselves below. It is suggested that volunteers have the experience of attending at least one Wikimedia Conference, since that background would greatly promote a realistic assessment of practical expectations.

Note: serving on the committee does not guarantee participation in the event.

Volunteers

WMCH representative (TBD)
Asaf Bartov (WMF; attended the Wikimedia Conference 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014)
Claudia Garád (WMAT; attended Wikimedia Conference 2013, 2014)
Ad Huikeshoven (WMNL; attended 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014)
James Hare (WM US-DC; attended Wikimedia Conference 2013 and served on the Program Team in 2014)
Tomasz Ganicz (WM PL, attended Wikimedia Conference 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014)
Tanweer (WMBD; attended the Wikimedia Conference 2014)
Chris Keating (The Land) (talk) ; attended 2013 and 2014, served on programme team 2014