Proposal talk:International Wikimedia Chapters Network
Impact?
Some proposals will have massive impact on end-users, including non-editors. Some will have minimal impact. What will be the impact of this proposal on our end-users? -- Philippe
Centralization vs Decentralization
Two thoughts. First, from a communications standpoint, how does creating a more formal organization improve communication, and at what cost? I wonder right now how often chapter liaisons (who are on the Chapters mailing list, for example) actually report-back to their Chapters. Creating an organization wouldn't seem to solve that essential problem.
Second, you're proposing a more centralized system to make it more efficient to put out joint statements. Chapters would essentially be assigning representatives who would be empowered to speak for them on major decisions. Do we lose something by getting around the current deliberative cost? Would it be possible to achieve this same goal without forming a formal organization? -Eekim 18:17, 2 February 2010 (UTC)
- I would actually think that designating a single liaison for each chapter to the Chapters Network would rather increase transparency and accountability, as the lines of communication will be much clearer than currently.
- I think we have to shift the balance away from the current dysfunctionally high deliberative cost toward something more manageable. This process is not intended for the really major decisions (which would of course be left to the individual chapter boards), but simply to make progress on joint discussions at all possible.--Pharos 18:14, 3 February 2010 (UTC)
- Having a single liaison per chapter makes sense. Do Chapters designate liaisons right now? Would we need to start a formal entity, or would it be enough to have an agreement that votes from liaisons could speak for all the Chapters? --Eekim 19:10, 3 February 2010 (UTC)
- Right now, chapters do not have any real kind of liaisons; the closest thing is the 3-5 people that they will designate to join the chapters-l mailing list. I'm somewhat unsure what you mean by a "formal entity"; this proposal wasn't intended to be setting up any sort of legal organization, just a mechanism to allow the delegation of votes on some discussions.--Pharos 18:36, 4 February 2010 (UTC)