New project process/arz
Previous pages to merge into this one:
- New project policy
- Proposal protocol (which also considers non-sisterproject proposals)
New project process |
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The new project process is a guideline for proposing new sister projects. This includes reviewing, categorizing, editing, merging, approving and closing proposals. This draft is a combination of past ideas. The process shall be facilitated by a sister projects committee (SPCom).
Any user can make a proposal for a new project – either starting an entirely new Wikimedia project or adopting an existing non-Wikimedia project as a Wikimedia sister project.
Anyone not affiliated with a proposal may close a discussion considered disruptive, pending review. If an SPCom member considers that a proposal has no reasonable possibility of a positive decision, a proposal may be closed immediately. This may be reverted by any editor who finds value in the proposal.
Proposing a new sister project
- See the Handbook for new project requesters if you want to propose a new project.
- A template for such proposals is being developed at Template:New sister project proposal
- A proposal is open for at least 30 days for comments and questions from the community and committee members. This is not a vote; arguments presented are judged by the committee.
- SPCom decides within 1–2 weeks if the proposed project could be a viable Wikimedia project[1]. If appropriate, SPCom will give specific recommendations for improvement, or suggestions for where else the project might find hosting/support.
- If the outcome of the initial discussion is positive, and attracted possible contributors, an "official" trial/demo version may be opened on Wikimedia Incubator (unless an external demo exists; or if there are special technical requirements that could more easily be realized on a test wiki outside of Incubator). It might help to draft a roadmap or project plan. See for instance the Wikimedia Commons project plan.
- The success of an incubated demo will be assessed after at most one year—either recommending its approval as a new project, suggesting targets it should meet in order to be recommended, or recommending it be closed or moved.
The following repeats a lot of aspects already mentioned above and should be removed or integrated, as appropriate
- Possible criteria for a successful demo
- 10 interested participants / supporters
- set up in an incubator, with core pages drafted: main page, a dozen sample policy and content pages (incl. initial policies)
- roadmap (for the first 6–12 months), project plan
- proposal noting how this is in line with our mission, what its full scope is, who early audiences are / where outreach should happen.
- demo is active for many months straight.
- Review, communication on status of proposals
- If there are tech needs: review if features are really needed, how things could be done (get in touch with devs)
- Updates on the proposal talk page. Inform various language communities (via mailing lists, village pumps? int'l pumps on meta/commons? on the largest existing wmwiki in that language?)
- If a project is reviewed and found lacking, reasons should be given. It can update its proposal and resubmit it later for further peer review, or continue as an independent project.
- Closing dormant or unworkable proposals
- Proposals which are judged to be incompatible or unworkable, and not simply incomplete or 'not ready yet', may be merged with other proposals or closed.
- Proposals that have had no activity for over 6 months may be marked as historical; if they after become active, they should go back to past supporters and see if they are still interested in contributing.
- After recognition
- Keep developing the incubator demo until the new project is created—and continue outreach to initial editors and additional language-communities.
- Ensure any domain names are owned by the WMF.
- Devs create the new project and New wikis importers seed it with the incubated content.
- Update the lists and tables on Complete list of Wikimedia projects and Wikimedia projects.
- Advertise it on the mailing lists, and ask to have it added (or add it yourself) to main pages of relevant projects.
Adopting an existing project into Wikimedia
- A Template for such proposals is needed
- A proposal is then open for at least 30 days for comments and questions from the community of Wikimedia projects and the community of the affected existing non-WMF project and committee members. Everyone is welcome to comment on the proposal and encouraged to discuss whether (and in which way) it is a good idea to integrate the project. This is not a vote, and will be assessed by the committee on its merits and chances of flourishing.
- If the community from the existing non-WMF project makes clear that they don't want to become a WMF project, such a proposal will be outright rejected.
- Within 1–2 weeks the committee decides if the proposed project could be a viable Wikimedia project[1]. If appropriate, SPCom will give specific recommendations for improvement, or suggestions for where else the project might find hosting/support.
- < more discussions, consideration, etc., see the general considerations below ... >
- If SPCom thinks a proposal to make a non-WMF wiki a WMF project should be accepted, a recommendation to that effect goes to the Board of Trustees, which has the final say.
- General considerations
- Does the proposal fit into one of the existing projects?
- Would there be side-effects on existing projects?
- All process stages should be public.
- Community comments are welcome at all times.
- SPCom can make other recommendations apart from those specifically mentioned here.
- The committee should help in the implementation of its recommendations as far as possible.
Further reading
- strategy:Category:Proposals for new projects
- Summer of Code software project ideas
- A few more at strategy:Proposals