Program/Planning
This page is for general public planning of the program (if not done with Pentabarf).
Tasks
- Submission phase:
Selecting appropriate tracks for the Call for ParticipationCreating and distributing Call for ParticipationInviting speakers (see Program ideas)
- Review phase:
Receiving, judging and accepting papers, posters, panel proposals and other formatsSelecting the most appropriate format for the accepted sessions (panel, individual, length, etc)
- Schedule phase
- General layout of all official conference days
- Organizing Sessions
- Layout additional events
- Photoshooting (officials, team, all)
- Pre-Conference Phase (at the site)
- Local team meeting
- Prepare the site (signs, printed schedules or schedules on screens, ...)
- Conference Phase
- Ensuring each speaker is assigned a moderator/MC for their talk
- Post conference phase
- Archive talks, recordings, material
- Publish proceedings
Tentative list of program items
(this is all up to discussion)
Tracks, as named on this page, do not necessarily mean that they have to go on for the whole of Wikimania, and they also don't mean to be in a single session at the time. They are just there to help us organize the program. This means, just because there is on community track there still may be several sessions in parallel with such topics -- this solely depends on the output. On the other hand, if there are not enough high quality submissions to solicit a three day program for the scientific track -- so be it, then there will be only a single day of scientific presentation.
Tracks
Community track
Wikimania is the major annual meeting point for the community around the Wikimedia projects. The majority of the talks are expected to suggest new ideas, discuss current and projected trends, organize work on the projects, etc. Presentations in this track do not have to accompanied by full papers, nor will they be accepted or rejected based on their scientific or technical merits, but rather by the interest they are expected to generate and that may be substantiated by support for this topic. Sessions of the community track may come in various formats, like presentations, moderated discussions, panels, etc. Includes also a lightening talk session.
Team: ...
Hacking days
The hacking days are invitation only, and their program is organized by the Mediawiki developers. There are solely about the further development of the Mediawiki software. The developers also have to decide if they actually want the hacking days to happen.
Team: ...
Technical tracks
Beside the Hacking days, previous Wikimanias have also been used to show off cool new technology, especially if it relates to the goals of the Wikimedia projects. Like universal access to the sum of human knowledge, or saving the world. It provides a highly visible platform to display and popularize such projects. Such presentations and demonstrations will be welcomed in Alexandria.
Team: ...
Keynotes
At previous Wikimanias invited talks have been the highlights, so we should continue the good tradition :). The discussion page lists a few ideas. Who wants to take responsibility? In the program not every invited talk has to be a keynote (for instance we can have an invited technical talk) but some of the invited talks should become a track own its own (name it "keynote" or not).
Team: ...
Poster session / Demo session
There should be a dedicated session for posters and demonstrations. This could either be presentations and papers rejected for the main tracks, or submitted too late, or of an expected smaller interest, or to present further projects, ideas, or organizations that did not for any reason want to have a slot during the regular sessions.
Team: ...
Side events
... any parties, guided tours etc.? ...
Types of events
I'd declare "scientific" not a track of its own but a status that submitters can choose. Any event can be called "scientific" by us, if additional, specific requirements are complied (for instance a paper for proceedings). Up to now in Pentabarf there are "Tracks" on the one hand and "Event types" (Lightning-Talk, Meeting, Movie, Other, Podium, Workshop) on the other. We could specify tracks based on topics and event types like "Workshop", "Simple Presentation", "Get-together Meeting", "Podium", "Scientific Talk". Anyway we should define both tracks and event types, these are different things. -- Nichtich 02:17, 12 January 2008 (UTC)
Presentation
Most events will be simple presentations with discussion afterwards.
Scientific track
Especially noticeable at Wikimania 2007, there have been some papers of considerable scientific quality. Some papers from Wikimania conferences have become well cited. Major conferences include Wikipedia research in their topics. In order to facilitate the connections to the scientific community, and to foster the reputation of the Wikimania conference, a scientific track will be established. Papers submitted to the scientific track will be peer reviewed and accepted or rejected based on these reviews. The papers will be published in proceedings afterwards. Based on the number and the quality of the submission, a journal special issue may be pursued.
Team: Denny
Workshops / Tutorials
Although tutorials or workshops have been seldom on Wikimanias, there may be interest in organizing or attending them. Such tutorials could introduce and create material for teaching the usage of software tools or how to act as an administrator, or how to use bots, or how to use special software to fight vandals, or...
Team: ...
Meeting / Open Space
Some groups may want a simple informal meeting or even an open space. You only need an organizer/moderator for each meeting. Maybe Meeting is more/also a track instead a type of event.
Podium
For some topics, a podium may be the right form. Podia are difficult to organize because you need multiple speakers and a good moderator - but the audience can benefit a lot in some cases.
Team: ...
Lightning talks
Single Lightning talks are not to be submitted as such but if there are lighting talks, we need a team/organizer for the lightning talks session.
Team: ...
Further points
Anything else? Communications = Linking Global Communities We have an opportunity here to use some technology like Accessgrid to complement the live event with satellite events in different countries. Atlanta's team, for example, with their relationship with Turner, should at least be considered as one. We could to talk to our National Libraries about doing the same. I'll commit to Australia. It might also help to attract some high profile speakers (like Tim Berners Lee) who could attend virtually.