User:Saania Saxena/Report

'''Make an argument for why, based on your experience in Wikipedia and what you've learned in the class, things could/should be better and how that might happen. "A description of your experience" is part of that but we're not asking for a trip report. Your experience is important, but the details you share should always be in service to the argument and suggestions you are making'''.

Based on my experience with Wikipedia and insights gained from my academic studies, I would say Wikipedia is generally a user-friendly digital platform given its detailed guides and tutorials, markup language, and sandbox feature. However, in this paper, I will propose some recommendations for how it can further enhance its status as an online community for existing users as well as for newcomers.

Firstly,  I would apply the different types of commitment people might have when joining an online community: affective (involving identity and bonds based), normative, and needs-based. For Wikipedia, when it comes to normative commitment, Wikipedia can strengthen normative commitment by appealing to individuals so that they feel a sense of duty or responsibility to keep editing articles. One way to achieve this is by recognizing and rewarding editors who consistently demonstrate a commitment to upholding Wiki values or producing great meaningful work. Tools that would make someone feel the need to remain, help, and commit to the community would help keep these users. For instance, by acknowledging and celebrating the contributions of Wikipedia editors through recognition programs, awards, badges, or leaderboards. This is important because many users like myself contribute to Wikipedia because they are passionate about sharing knowledge (e.g. my passion for food and hence I chose to edit a Linguine article), contributing to a collaborative project, or simply because they enjoy the process of editing and improving articles (perhaps through an identity-based commitment). This intrinsic motivation comes from within the individual and drives them to participate without the need for external rewards. However, some users may be motivated by external factors such as recognition, reputation, or incentives provided by Wikipedia. Wikipedia can tap into these groups of users to increase loyalty to the platform.

Another aspect of Wikipedia is that it has a detailed set of rules about community guidelines and norms. I learnt that codes of conduct are extremely helpful to govern user behavior and maintain a positive and respectful community atmosphere. While these help newcomers be acquainted with the platform too, many rules could actually drive away some by coming off as intimidating or overwhelming. For instance, a highly detailed guideline around violation or harassment could imply in the new comer’s mind that this is very common. They might think to themselves that “I didn’t know this would even be a problem in this community, but now that I see it as a rule I am worried or hesitant to even join this community.” For instance, something I noticed was that Wikipedia has an exhausting page about spamming which made me worried about someone possibly spamming my article about Linguine. It is recommended, then, to be brief yet impactful with regards to extreme rules or guidelines.

Additionally, when it comes to the types of users on Wikipedia, we can see them as one kind of a user from the knowledge of norms and adherence to norms matrix. Someone who is an ignorant yet violating individual is clueless but in good faith. Their goal is to simply learn, be curious, and educate themselves, but they can make mistakes. For these kinds of individuals, it is important to take certain measures so that instances like what happened in the Harlem Shake (dance) article (clueless newcomer accidentally deleting the entire article and then asking for help) don’t happen again. Even in my experience editing the Linguine article, there were often times I feared doing something wrong by accident even after watching the many tutorials on the dashboard. One way to deal with this is by simplifying the onboarding process way beyond just tutorials. Like, providing a dedicated 24/7 live help desk where newcomers can ask questions and receive assistance from staff or experienced editors in real-time. And, before a new editor edits a real article and publishes it live, there could be interactive game-like  (similar to how Zooniverse makes activities engaging) “practice articles” so that they are competent before being a true wikipedia editor. What I found helpful was the sandbox feature which helped me “trial and error” before going live. However, this could be made more engaging. For example, for each aspect like making a bibliography, editing a lead, finding images, there could be a gamified exercise. Also, Wikipedia should make sure that any resource is written in clear and jargon-free language to accommodate users of all skill levels. These steps will ensure an efficient process for users.

Looking at the utility model for early community joining for Wikipedia, Wikipedia could increase early-stage value of the community to newcomers by offering unique and immediately accessible benefits to new members. This could include the gamified tutorial as mentioned earlier and also establishing feedback loops to gather input from early-stage contributors on their experience joining and participating in the Wikipedia community. Using this feedback to identify pain points, areas for improvement, and opportunities to enhance the early-stage value proposition for new contributors is highly suggested. And, increasing early adopter benefits. Wikipedia could incentivize early adopters by offering exclusive perks or privileges that recognize their pioneering role within the community. Like providing early adopters with early access to opportunities for collaboration, such as editing competitions, writing contests, and community projects. This allows them to get involved in meaningful initiatives and make a visible impact on Wikipedia from the outset. Or offering specialized training and skill development programs for early adopters to help them become more proficient editors and contributors is something I felt I would have appreciated as a newcomer on Wikipedia. This can include workshops on advanced editing techniques, sourcing best practices, and conflict resolution strategies. By acknowledging and rewarding early adopters, Wikipedia can cultivate a sense of belonging and loyalty among this crucial group. Now, when it comes to increasing expectations of community success, Wikipedia can bolster their expectations of community success by showcasing past achievements which would build credibility and demonstrate a clear roadmap for future development. This could involve reaching a certain number of articles, attracting new contributors, or improving content quality. Highlighting success stories and showcasing the impact of the community's efforts can instill a sense of pride and confidence among community members.

On the other hand, some users are actually aware of Wiki norms yet still violate. These are people of bad faith like trolls and spammers that Wiki must address. For instance, the person in the Batman article who vandalized the Wiki page by typing a series of nonsensical text just to get attention caused a lot of problems to the community when people wanting to simply learn about Batman couldn’t now. These people are harder to deal with but Wikipedia should prevent bad behavior. For instance, by providing a barrier to participation without affecting good behavior. In a technical way, it should be a restriction so that people are prevented from going on and making  inappropriate pages. Moreover, to prevent scandals like the North Face and Wikipedia one, where companies manipulate Wikipedia for promotional purposes, Wikipedia should strengthen conflict of Interest (COI) guidelines, clearly stating that editing Wikipedia for promotional or advertising purposes is strictly prohibited. This includes edits made by individuals with a direct financial or personal interest in the subject matter. Flagging content immediately is extremely necessary too for maintaining reputable quality. Lastly, enhancing the use of proactive automated vandalism detection tools, such as bots and algorithms, to quickly identify and revert vandalism edits. These tools can scan recent changes and flag suspicious edits for review by human editors. These steps will help ensure that the overall community is balanced, well reputed, and only meaningful contributions are made.

To summarize, by incorporating these measures, Wikipedia can evolve into a more positive, inclusive, and supportive community, enriching the experiences of both existing users and newcomers alike.