Join us for an engaging workshop introducing the GLAM CSI (Contributor Study Initiative), an ongoing 2024 project to evaluate the contribution pipeline within the Wikimedia technical ecosystem. While it focuses on cultural and heritage collaborations, anyone interested in contributing at scale or continuously enriching metadata is invited to participate. The project is led by experienced Wikimedians at the Smithsonian Institution (USA) – Andrew Lih (Wikimedian at Large) and Sara Snyder (Director of Digital Programs, Office of Digital Transformation), with funding and logistical support from the Wikimedia Foundation. WMF collaborators include Giovanna Fontenelle and Jazmin Tanner. See: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/GLAM_CSI

We will delve into findings from surveys and profiles conducted in 2024, setting the stage for the participatory workshop.

During the session, participants will actively contribute by sharing their user stories and customer journeys or giving feedback on existing ones. These insights will serve as invaluable assets, shaping the refinement of standards, practices, and Wikimedia technical tools. This will help inform support mechanisms for Wikimedia engagement, empowering volunteers, Wiki Loves campaign participants, Wikimedians in residence, and GLAM professionals.

For more detail, we invite exploration of the tools integral to Wikimedia contribution at Wikidata's linked open data workflow page: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Linked_open_data_workflow

Background: In 2023, the GLAM Wiki community saw a crisis in the unreliability of many metrics tools in measuring the impact of contributions, especially in the area of Wikimedia Commons traffic. These concerns were documented in a 2023 GLAM manifesto:
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedians_in_Residence_Exchange_Network/GLAM_manifesto_2023

The issue was highlighted at a Wikimania 2023 panel session of Wikimedians in Residence, where the inability to measure impact was seen as a serious risk for many partnerships.
https://wikimania.wikimedia.org/wiki/2023:Program/GLAM,_Heritage,_and_Culture/WDZBPN-Learn_and_discuss_with_member_of_the_Wikimedians_in_Residence_Exchange_Network

"There's a problem in that the free tools that we use to measure impact are broken... they are broken because it's no one's job to maintain them. Our livelihoods and jobs depend on this. Institutions are canceling Wikimedian in residence contracts because there's now no way to demonstrate impact. This is a critically important problem for the community to discuss. We need some solutions. We need commitment. We need commitment from the foundation otherwise the job of a Wikimedian in residence will disappear." - Mike Dickison, Wikimedian at Large, Wikimania 2023

Who should attend: This session is tailored for individuals invested in contributing content to Wikimedia projects at scale or in collaboration with cultural heritage partners. Whether you possess extensive image collections, metadata records awaiting ingestion or reconciliation, or source material ripe for transcription, your insights are invaluable.

Results and outcomes: By the session's conclusion, attendees will gain an understanding of the diverse array of user stories from Wikimedia contributors. Furthermore, they will offer valuable feedback, steering the development of strategies that effectively address the spectrum of documented needs. Join us in shaping the future of Wikimedia engagement and collaboration.