Encouraging Semantic Mediawiki use with non technical people: Difference between revisions

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Encouraging Semantic Mediawiki use with non technical people (view source)

Revision as of 17:30, 22 May 2010

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= Overview =
 
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Prepared for http://semantic-mediawiki.org/wiki/Spring_2010_SMWCon
 
== Who is a non-technical person ==
 
* Their focus is not technology, but they can contribute
* Never learned programming concepts
* Didn't realize Wikipedia can be edited
* Maybe used a web content management system, blog, Facebook
* Busy with their own concerns
 
== Types and motivations of participants==
 
* Traditional '''executive''' — "everyone else is doing it," inexpensive solution
** Ideally they will participate but getting them to can be difficult
** May be more cautious about full commitment - license, security, who can access and edit
* '''Creative group''' or '''individual''' — may be inspired but needs constant guidance
* '''Worker bee''' — tasked to use the wiki
** May be less receptive to wiki ideals, make it straightforward
* '''Outside contributors''' - often a stated goal of projects, have their own objectives
** Flexible to meet random demands
** Fair re-use terms
 
<br class="cleared" />
 
= Goals =
 
== What do they want ==
 
# To solve their problem, often a "one of those" web site with some special requirements
# Something that looks good - '''design is still paramount''' - http://www.surl.org/usabilitynews/112/aesthetic.asp
# To learn about the participatory web
# To have more control over their own site but keep things simple
## Usually they don't want to 'innovate,' just do what everyone else is doing
# To work with someone they trust
# Don't really seem concerned about "silo" and re-use aspects
 
== What do I want ==
 
<blockquote>
...the student population is about evenly divided between technologists who care about aesthetics and artists who aren't afraid of machines, which makes it a pretty good place to see the future. — [http://www.shirky.com/writings/situated_software.html Shirky]
</blockquote>
 
# Avoid per client custom code, fit things into the developing picture
# '''Promote digital literacy ­— filling out forms isn't it, stop treating computers as a typewriter'''
## Reference-able statements, reusable data under fair terms of re-use
# Get people to consider issues of site design and how to organize information without overburdening
# '''Promote transparency and co-development'''
## Help flatten organizations and their external relationships
## Don't be fearful and build hidden compromises, open it up
# Grow my own skills based on relevant requirements
## Focused on small groups '''[http://www.shirky.com/writings/situated_software.html Users By The Dozens]'''
 
= Success=
 
In order:
 
# Useful one-off resource with lots of development input from stakeholders, possible to build on in future
# Contributions by many types of people
# Basic editing using forms
# Wiki markup, categories
# Sharing knowledge, creating more converts
# Creating templates/queries/classes
# Understanding of good class design, distributed data, licensing
# Reuse ontologies and web-based content
# Distributed applications, creating standards
 
== Examples ==
* [http://www.fungalgenomics.ca Genomics Lab] (private and public) (programmers)
* [http://www.innovationcell.com Hospital research group] (open minded, dedicated co-developers)
* [http://www.quescan.info Special interest group] (tasked group)
* [http://www.asiancanadianwiki.org Arts group] (maybe — get-togethers, dedicated contributor)
* [http://oq.zooid.org Non profit group] (maybe — heavy use of forms)
 
= Failure =
 
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* Commitment vs follow through
** Constant attention, guidance
* Tangly mess
** Better use of SMW features, more forms, patience for gardening
* Misunderstood requirements, not really listening to what they want
** Learning experience
 
== Examples ==
 
* General spread to community workers (they know easier specialized systems, didn't help guide structure enough)
* [http://wfg.zooid.org Gardening site] (chose to get programmers to build custom system around Wordpress)
 
= How =
 
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* Lots and lots of guiding
* Reassure - built on Mediawiki, always exportable
* Inspire - self empowerment, learning culture, creating, leading, "coolness" (graphs), "where the web is going," open source and transparency, participatory web
* Blow past increasing complexity of security to simpler wiki model (all private or all public)
* Threaten - others are doing it, loss of leadership
* Really enforce importance of discussion tab, history, diff, learning from others ('''view source''').. site evolution as an interest, lead of Mediawiki
 
* Magic — Exhibit example of copying filtered data and pasting to spreadsheet
* The importance of design
** promote the cues of Wikipedia but provide something original
 
* Appoint leads based on interests, give them responsibilities
* Peer helpers — spread the virus
* Focus on people's abilities - detail oriented, annotator, gardener, storyteller, communicates with offline world, etc
* Translators for those who can't directly contribute
 
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= SMW vs Wordpress =
 
Compare Wordpress vs SMW — "Raskin vs Englebart," specialized appliance model vs learning to use a computer
 
http://www.retrofacto.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/wordpress.jpg
 
* '''Wordpress''' is task driven software. Forms for every day tasks. SMW is building blocks, play-doh. Helpful to map MW, SMW, extensions but it still won't be the same.
 
Every day tasks —
* Everything oriented towards content management around blogging
* SEO, user management
* "Delete" content, one click
* SMW site will need a UI (immediate functions) inside a UI (MW)
* Learning curve is constant on wordpress, gets steep fast using SMW
* '''Can recreate a blog in SMW but tasks are more manual'''
** But you work in a reusable semantic space
 
= Summary=
 
* Some successes with non technical users, usually individuals within orgs
* Patience, constant guidance, listening to requirements are most important
* Build up big expectations but focus on immediate goals
* Some SMW facilities such as task oriented guides would help a lot
** Slick rich page editors - links and annotations - would help a lot
** 'Class' editors work with existing elements
** Visual form editor
* People like visualizations and they can help with shaping and debugging data
* Always focus on their goals rather than ideals, but try to explain the vision, the two should come together
* Use lots of meaningful examples
** Placeography, DiscourseDB, sites related to organization
** Good distributed examples would help too
 
== Questions ==
 
* What are the best extensions to make the site easy to use?
** Do people use the rich text editor?
* Is SMW a good "universal platform?"
 
= Notes =
 
==Notes from conference==
 
* Business people love reports
* Authoring tools - ease of tagging
** Problems with easy to use rich text editors mangling output
* Stop saying "semantic" — "knowledge engineering"
** Bad perceptions about 'wiki,' they get messy - call it "knowledge management"
* Need more white papers instead of mountain of data
* Find meaningful ways to connect to well known solutions (SQL, etc), use it as an integration platform
 
<headertabs />
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