User:Maiab3/Report

Wikipedia Task #7
In a world where the attention of an individual is a scarce commodity, Wikipedia boasts quite the reputation but falls short in user experience. Since the goal of Wikipedia is to encourage and retain as many users as possible, the Wikipedia community and foundation should focus on the intentionality of the user interface (UI) design. As someone familiar with various educational platforms (blackboard, canvas, etc.) I found Wikipedia’s UI to be not user friendly, in the sense that it is not very intuitive to use.

Even with the use of Wiki Education, I still found myself against the giant of insurmountable information, causing me to stumble through basic functionalities, including:

To address these shortcomings, Wikipedia should consider implementing a separate ‘training space’ within its interface. Although there is the existing sandbox feature, its intended purpose to provide a safe space for experimentation falls short due to its lack of true autonomy and security. This separate training space would work best embedded within the guided tutorials, and could serve as a centralized hub for newcomers to access said tutorials/interactive guides. This allows users to learn by doing so in a controlled environment without fear of inadvertently violating copyright policies. Thus, eliminating the need to navigate through the labyrinth of Wikipedia’s pages blindly.
 * Understanding the purpose of a talk page.
 * Who was this ‘wiki helper’ that we weren’t encouraged to utilize?
 * When should we select that the edit being made was major or minor? Is there a criteria for that?
 * Do our “watch pages” have a separate page? Or do they simply pop up in our notification box?
 * How do we best utilize the notification system?

The incorporating elements of institutionalized socialization, for those without access to Wiki Edu, would also aid in bettering the broader community experience. Through sequential steps (clear, step-by-step sequence of steps that users will follow in joining the organization) or a fixed timeline (timetable with clear stages in which newcomers should move); can incentivize user engagement and mitigate the daunting learning curve associated with the platform (Kraut and Resnick, 215 - 225). I will note that Wikipedia does give notifications that say ‘congratulations on your first edit!’ or ‘you’ve hit 10 edits!’ – but doesn’t truly encourage the user to hit a certain edit quota by a particular deadline.

That being said, as outlined in Newcomers Pt. 1, “user turnover is unavoidable.” However, this inevitability doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take steps to prevent it. In addition to the mass amounts of information given, the biggest barrier to entry is actually time. For a new user to the community, it takes a vast amount of time to understand how to properly utilize Wikipedia, even though the actual editing takes almost no time at all. Based on my own personal experience with onboarding (truthfully just bumbling through everything), I feel that it might be helpful to take a look at the Bass diffusion model (Kraut and Resnick, 185). This model suggests that recruitment becomes more challenging with success. Considering the broader media portrayal of Wikipedia, it's evident that the platform is facing challenges. The prominence of active users globally peaked around 2007, signaling a need for change to restore Wikipedia to its former glory.

The theories and concepts covered in our course provide valuable insights into the dynamics of online communities, particularly when applied to platforms like Wikipedia. Anonymity, as discussed in lecture, plays a pivotal role in fostering inclusivity and encouraging participation. This aspect is reminiscent of platforms like Tor, where users can contribute without fear of personal repercussions (and build credibility through their posting repertoire), thus promoting a well-rounded community on Wikipedia.

Moreover, motivations, while differing from those seen on social media platforms, remain a driving force behind contributions to Wikipedia. While fame and recognition may not be as pronounced, the intrinsic desire to contribute to a collective pool of knowledge remains a powerful motivator for many users. Whether driven by academic curiosity or a passion for sharing information, users find fulfillment in contributing to Wikipedia's extensive repository of knowledge.

That said, it's essential to recognize that these theories may require adaptation to fit the unique dynamics of Wikipedia. The decentralized and collaborative nature of the platform proves to be a very particular model of online engagement, where motivations and anonymity work in tandem towards the overall pursuit of knowledge.

While the theories and concepts explored in our course offer valuable insights, their application to Wikipedia requires careful consideration of the platform's unique attributes and user demographics. By leveraging these insights and adapting them to fit the collaborative ethos of Wikipedia, we can ensure the platform's continued success as the world's largest online encyclopedia.