Community Resources and Partnerships/India Rapid Project/Enhancing Wikimedia Commons Mobile App:Improving Usability, Accessibility, and Engagement for India’s Growing Mobile-First Community
Applicant
[edit]- Main Wikimedia username. (required)
Gopala Krishna A
- Organization
N/A
- If you are a group or organization leader, board member, president, executive director, or staff member at any Wikimedia group, affiliate, or Wikimedia Foundation, you are required to self-identify and present all roles. (required)
N/A
- Describe all relevant roles with the name of the group or organization and description of the role. (required)
N/A
Project
[edit]- 1. Please state the title of your proposal. This will also be the Meta-Wiki page title.
Enhancing Wikimedia Commons Mobile App: Improving Usability, Accessibility, and Engagement for India’s Growing Mobile-First Community
- 2. and 3. Proposed start and end dates for the proposal.
2025-02-10 - 2025-08-10
- 4. Where will this proposal be implemented? (required)
India
- 5. Are your activities part of a Wikimedia movement campaign, project, or event? If so, please select the relevant project or campaign. (required)
Other (please specify) Wikimedia movement project
- 6. What is the change you are trying to bring? What are the main challenges or problems you are trying to solve? Describe this change or challenges, as well as main approaches to achieve it. (required)
I am working to enhance the usability and functionality of the Wikimedia Commons mobile application, particularly focusing on mobile editing. Our goal is to make the app more accessible and user-friendly, thereby encouraging a broader range of contributors, especially from mobile users in India. The significance of this initiative is evident. India is not only a mobile-first country but a mobile-only country, and improving the mobile editing experience is crucial for engaging a wider audience ([1]). Additionally, photography is booming all around the world, and there are numerous photographers who wish to share their photos freely ([2]). There are also several documentation initiatives and Wiki Loves projects, such as Wiki Loves Monuments, Wiki Loves Folkore and Wiki Loves Mangaluru, that highlight the growing interest in contributing to Wikimedia Commons. Recently, there has been a surge in photo competitions and events, such as Wiki Loves “X” campaigns and photo walks. South Asian communities, particularly in India, are predominantly mobile-first. Without a seamless mobile app experience, we are missing opportunities to leverage this enthusiasm and grow our users and contributor base. Therefore, enhancing the mobile contribution and usage experience is crucial for encouraging greater participation and enriching the content on Wikimedia Commons.
- Main challenges or problems we are trying to solve:
When I conducted research with CIS-A2K on the Wikimedia Commons app we found out thatLimited app features for contributing to the project: The current mobile app lacks robust necessory features for users to contribute effectively. This limitation hinders the growth of the contributor base, especially in regions like India where mobile usage is prevalent.
User Experience and Accessibility: The app's user interface and experience need improvement to cater to a diverse user base, including those with varying levels of technical proficiency. Ensuring accessibility for all users and contributors is crucial for expanding the community and enhancing overall engagement with the platform.
Community Feedback Integration: There is a need for better integration of community feedback into the app's development process. Understanding and addressing the specific needs and challenges faced by mobile contributors is essential for enhancing the app's usability. We acknowledge the developers who created the app and those who have worked on it, as well as the Wikimedia Foundation for their support in developing the app.
- 7. What are the planned activities? (required) Please provide a list of main activities. You can also add a link to the public page for your project where details about your project can be found. Alternatively, you can upload a timeline document. When the activities include partnerships, include details about your partners and planned partnerships.
1. Research and Community Feedback CollectionActivity: Conduct further comprehensive market research and gather community feedback to understand the current status of mobile editing on the Wikimedia Commons app. Integrate the feedback obtained during the study conducted with CIS-A2K.Details: Building on the initial research, we will conduct extensive market research to identify significant issues hindering the user experience on the Wikimedia Commons app. Our preliminary findings reveal that contributors are dissatisfied with the current photo uploading process, frequent app crashes, and the layout of the landing page. These issues are critical barriers that prevent users from fully utilizing the app. In this research, we aim to understand the sentiments of different user segments towards the app. Specifically, we want to conduct research on: What is the sentiment of new users towards the app? What is the sentiment of intermediate users towards the app? What is the sentiment of experts and content creation campaign organizers towards the app? By gathering this feedback, we can gain a comprehensive understanding of the user experience across different levels of expertise and engagement, helping us to identify areas for improvement and enhancement.
2. Analysis of Problems and Identification of ImprovementsActivity: Analyze the collected data to identify specific problems and areas where improvements are needed.Details: Based on the market research and community feedback, we will analyze the data to pinpoint the key issues and pain points. This analysis will help us understand the most pressing problems that need to be addressed to improve user experiences. The product manager will then decide on the priorities after receiving the user feedback.
3. Implementation with DevelopersActivity: Work with developers to implement the identified changes and improvements.Details: In this stage, we will collaborate with experienced developers to integrate the feedback and refine the prototype. The focus will be on enhancing the photo uploading process, improving the app's stability to reduce crashes, and redesigning the user interface to make it more accessible and responsive. We will also ensure that the implementation meets the needs of the community by working closely with the User groups also with Wikimedia Foundation to better understand the app's data. Additionally, we will try to update the UI design to align with Android's new "Material You" design system, improving the app's appearance and performance, and implement lazy loading techniques to optimize image loading and prevent freezes.
4. Collaboration and Continuous ImprovementActivity: Foster collaboration with the community, CIS-A2K, like-minded user groups, and institutions to ensure continuous improvement of the app.Details: Engage with active contributors from the Wikimedia Commons community, CIS-A2K, and other like-minded user groups and institutions to test the prototype of enhanced features. This will involve organizing beta testing sessions, collecting feedback through surveys, and creating a feedback loop where users can report issues and suggest improvements. Additionally, we will present the improvements to the community, gather their feedback to assess their satisfaction, and identify areas for further enhancement. By maintaining open communication and collaboration, we can ensure that the app continues to evolve and meet the needs of its users.
- Partnerships:
CIS-A2K: Collaboration on conducting the in-depth study and gathering community feedback. Wikimedia Foundation: Partnership to understand app data and ensure alignment with community needs.
- 8. Describe your team. Please provide their roles, Wikimedia Usernames and other details. (required) Include more details of the team, including their roles, usernames, Wikimedia group, and whether they are salaried, volunteers, consultants/contractors, etc.
I am going to work closely with the Wikimedia Commons community members and Commons Outreach orgasinsers from India. We will be hiring a developer to implement the feedback and requirements. We are also collaborating with CIS-A2K and Nivas (CIS-A2K) is going to support in this project.
- 9. Who are the target participants and from which community? How will you engage participants before and during the activities? How will you follow up with participants after the activities? (required)
Target Participants and Community: The target participants for this initiative are members of the Wikimedia Commons community. These individuals can be active contributors of the Wikimedia Commons platform, who have a vested interest in improving the mobile contribution experience.
Engaging participants before the project: I have already been engaging with the community members as part of the study I conducted. This engagement involved gathering preliminary feedback and understanding the current challenges faced by mobile app users. Through this initial interaction, I have established a rapport with the community, which will be helpful in the upcoming project.
Engaging participants during the project: During the project, I will actively engage with the community members to collect detailed feedback, suggestions, and leverage their expertise. This will involve:
Feedback sessions: Organizing dedicated feedback sessions where community members can share their experiences and provide insights on the current mobile editing features.
Surveys and polls: Conducting surveys and polls to gather quantitative data on user preferences and pain points.
Open discussions: Facilitating open discussions on community platforms to encourage the exchange of ideas and suggestions. Following up with participants after the project: Following up with participants after the project is crucial to ensure that their inputs are valued that the improvements are effectively implemented. The follow-up process will include:
Sharing Results: Summarizing the findings, outlining the changes to be implemented based on feedback, and detailing the testing and implementation process. This can be communicated through blog posts or direct channels.
Acknowledgments: Recognizing and acknowledging the inputs of the participants in the development process. This can be done through public acknowledgments on community platforms.
Continuous Engagement: Maintaining an open channel for continuous testing the implimentations feedback and suggestions, ensuring that the community remains engaged and involved in the ongoing development of the app.
- 9.1. If your project includes in-person activities, are there any international participants travelling to India for them? (required)
- No
- 9.1.1. List all countries of participation. (required)
- 9.2. Will the project be transferring funds to any international participants? (required)
- No
- 9.2.1. List all international participants receiving funding and their countries. (required)
N/A
- 10. Does your project involve work with children or youth? (required)
- No
- 10.1. Please provide a link to your Youth Safety Policy. (required) If the proposal indicates direct contact with children or youth, you are required to outline compliance with international and local laws for working with children and youth, and provide a youth safety policy aligned with these laws. Read more here.
N/A
- 11. How did you discuss the idea of your project with your community members and/or any relevant groups? Please describe steps taken and provide links to any on-wiki community discussion(s) about the proposal. (required) You need to inform the community and/or group, discuss the project with them, and involve them in planning this proposal. You also need to align the activities with other projects happening in the planned area of implementation to ensure collaboration within the community.
I discussed the idea of my project with community members and relevant groups through a collaborative study on the Wikimedia Commons and Wikipedia apps conducted with CIS-A2K. During this study, we identified gaps in the features that need to be addressed. Community members expressed interest in a detailed study and improving the app interface. The insights and challenges were documented and discussed on the Wikimedia Meta-Wiki page ([3]).
- 12. Does your proposal aim to work to bridge any of the content knowledge gaps (Knowledge Inequity)? Select one option that most apply to your work. (required)
Not applicable
- 13. Does your proposal include any of these areas or thematic focus? Select one option that most applies to your work. (required)
Open Technology
- 14. Will your work focus on involving participants from any underrepresented communities? Select one option that most apply to your work. (required)
Digital Access
- 15. In what ways do you think your proposal most contributes to the Movement Strategy 2030 recommendations. Select one that most applies. (required)
Improve User Experience
Metrics
[edit]- 17. What do you hope to learn from your work in this project or proposal? (required)
- What are the primary challenges faced by Wikimedia Commons mobile app users in India, and how do these challenges vary across different user demographics?
By collecting and analyzing feedback from a diverse range of users, I aim to identify the specific pain points and barriers that hinder contributing effectively through mobile application. This understanding will help tailor solutions that address the unique needs of different users.
- How can the user interface and experience of the Wikimedia Commons mobile app be improved to better support mobile editing?
Through user feedback sessions, I hope to gain insights into the current usability issues and explore design improvements that make the app more intuitive and user-friendly. This will involve testing different prototypes and iterating based on user responses.
- What features are most valuable to mobile contributors, and how can these be enhanced to encourage more active participation?
By conducting surveys, I aim to identify the key features that mobile users find most useful. This information will guide the development of new features and the enhancement of existing features to better support mobile contributions.
- How effective is the current feedback integration process, and what improvements can be made to ensure that community input is effectively utilized in app development?
I will evaluate the existing feedback mechanisms and explore ways to streamline the process. This includes creating more structured channels for community input and ensuring that feedback is promptly addressed and incorporated into development cycles.
- 18. What are your Wikimedia project targets in numbers (metrics)? (required)
| Other Metrics | Target | Optional description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 30 | |
| Number of editors | 15 | |
| Number of organizers | 2 |
| Wikimedia project | Number of content created or improved |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | |
| Wikimedia Commons | |
| Wikidata | |
| Wiktionary | |
| Wikisource | |
| Wikimedia Incubator | |
| Translatewiki | |
| MediaWiki | |
| Wikiquote | |
| Wikivoyage | |
| Wikibooks | |
| Wikiversity | |
| Wikinews | |
| Wikispecies | |
| Wikifunctions or Abstract Wikipedia |
- Optional description for content contributions.
N/A
- 19. Do you have any other project targets in numbers (metrics)? (optional)
No
| Main Open Metrics | Description | Target |
|---|---|---|
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
- 20. What tools would you use to measure each metrics? Please refer to the guide for a list of tools. You can also write that you are not sure and need support. (required)
I'm not entirely sure at the moment, but I believe the 'hashtag tool' could be helpful. Additionally, I would like to evaluate the metrics based on the features implemented.
Budget
[edit]- 21. Please upload your budget for this proposal or indicate the link to it. (required)
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1XmxR0RF2NZ1Sg5w_Jfm9ih9eJzmNV_43XM4Y33I7OQo/edit?usp=sharing
- 22. What is the amount you are requesting for this proposal? Please provide the amount in Indian Rupees. (required)
414778.55 INR
- 22.1. Convert the amount requested into USD using the Oanda converter. This is done to help you assess the USD equivalent of the requested amount. Your request should be between 500 - 5,000 USD. (required)
4898.4 USD
- By submitting this proposal request you agree with the Institutional Partner Privacy Policy, Application Privacy Statements, WMF Friendly Space Policy and Universal Code of Conduct.
Yes
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