Submissions/WMF Mobile Research

This is an open submission for Wikimania 2011.

Review no.

106

Title of the Submission

Wikimedia Mobile Research

Type of submission (workshop, tutorial, panel, presentation)

Presentation

Author of the submission

Parul Vora, Mani Pande and Kul Wadhwa

E-mail address or username (if username, please confirm email address in Special:Preferences)

Parul Vora pvora@wikimedia.org
Mani Pande mpande@wikimedia.org
Kul Wadhwa kul@wikimedia.org

Country of origin

USA

Affiliation, if any (organization, company etc.)

Wikimedia Foundation

Personal homepage or blog

Abstract (please use no less than 300 words to describe your proposal)

The Wikimedia Foundation (WMF) developed a five year strategic plan which includes the development of the Wikipedia mobile applications and properties as well as a geographic focus on India, Brazil, Russia, Turkey, Egypt and other Arabic speaking countries. We currently maintain a mobile gateway (m.wikipedia.org) and we have an official iPhone application. Our mobile properties primarily deliver Wikipedia content in different languages, but at present there is no means to login, access watchlists, edit an article, or otherwise contribute to the project as well as a variety of features that could create a better Wikipedia mobile reading experience in all languages. We can offer a better and richer mobile experience for those already using their mobile device to access the site, as well as reach many more in populations that use mobile devices as their primary means to connect to the internet.

We have and will be conducting both qualitative and quantitative research to 1) better understand how Wikipedia readers access, read, search or otherwise consume Wikpedia content on mobile devices, 2) observe and understand Wikipedia editor's current editing practices especially as they do or could potentially translate to mobile devices, and 3) gain insight on the cultural and technical ecology of Wikipedia in our target geographies. Through this research we have identified needs and opportunities for innovation and development of our mobile properties that can be extended to the entire community and users.

This talk will present the methodology, results, and findings of our qualitative studies in India, Brazil, and the United States, as well as an overview of the results of a quantitative survey conducted through 10 language projects. We will also discuss how this research can contribute to the mobile development plan over the coming years within WMF and the greater Wikipedia community.

Track (People and Community/Knowledge and Collaboration/Infrastructure)

People + Community and Infrastructure

Will you attend Wikimania if your submission is not accepted?

No, probably not.

Slides or further information (optional)

Interested attendees

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Steven (WMF) 20:58, 20 April 2011 (UTC)[reply]
Tinucherian 10:48, 21 April 2011 (UTC)[reply]
JanPaul123 21:59, 26 April 2011 (UTC)[reply]
Erik Zachte 14:12, 29 April 2011 (UTC)[reply]
Eloquence 03:37, 1 May 2011 (UTC)[reply]
DarTar 03:27, 5 May 2011 (UTC)[reply]
Vibhijain 10:58, 5 May 2011 (UTC) Good option for India as mostly people uses internet on mobile compared to home PC.[reply]
Manuel 19:37, 2 June 2011 (UTC)[reply]
Amir E. Aharoni
Cip 08:48, 24 June 2011 (UTC)[reply]
Ruslik 08:53, 25 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]