Inside Wikimedia’s Open-Source Strategic Planning

One fine winter Saturday in San Francisco, I had the good fortune of joining the Board of Trustees meeting of the Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit organization that supports Wikipedia. My colleague, Daniel Stid, and I entered our first Wikimedia Board discussion seeking to determine whether and how Wikimedia might develop a strategic plan and how we might be helpful in that process. Very early on in the discussion, Board member Stu West shared a metaphor that set the tone that day and everyday hence: “Have you ever skied at Jackson Hole in Wyoming? Well, there is a sign at the top of the mountain that is both enthralling and terrifying: ‘Our mountain is like nothing you have skied before! Give this mountain the special respect it demands!’ Wikimedia is that mountain.”

Mr. West’s metaphor is more than accurate.

Why were we — representatives from the Bridgespan Group — even talking strategy with the Wikimedia Foundation board? Wikimedia has achieved incredible things without a strategy after all. But as the board, community members, advisors and staff considered their vision, it was clear that a range of strategic opportunities and challenges needed to be confronted in advancing toward their vision. For example: How to prioritize growth initiatives that involve reaching every single human being? How to make ever increasing amounts of knowledge freely sharable? How to cultivate a healthy, growing and diverse community of contributors? How to enhance quality of knowledge? How to ensure Wikimedia has the resources and capabilities to sustain its work in perpetuity?

Over the coming months we hope to provide readers of this blog with a window into this unprecedented endeavor from a range of perspectives (volunteers, staff, board members, strategy consultants, external advisors and more). We’re essentially going to blog the Wikimedia strategic planning process pretty much as it happens. We think our innovations (those that work and those that flop) will generate new ideas, lessons and approaches for organizations and movements as they look to tackle strategy development and consider the question of how one “organizes” a massive global movement. We also want to tap into your expertise, perspectives and creativity for the benefit of this strategy work.

Our early thinking is that the broad direction of Wikipedia should ultimately be owned and developed by the social movement that powers it. Over the next six months, a series of task forces comprised of community members and external advisors (to bring in new perspectives) will be analyzing, discussing, recommending action on a range of tough strategic issues and figuring out the roles, responsibilities and resources needed to achieve Wikimedia’s vision. In fact, an open call for participation launched Monday, September 21, to attract volunteers. We will soon find out if there are volunteers inside and out of the community ready to roll up their sleeves.

But that’s just the first step. How might one develop a strategy that could provide direction to such a complex and connected organization without losing the voice of its millions of community stakeholders? Well, to be honest, we aren’t exactly sure, but we are determined to give this Wiki mountain the special respect it demands, and we think the following core principles will be a guide:

• Anchor on the vision: Wikimedia has a powerful vision (“a world in which every single human being can freely share in the sum of all human knowledge”) that serves as a touchstone for the strategy process
• Do it the Wiki way: Open, transparent and evolving deliberations that trust in the constructive spirit of diverse volunteers to bring powerful expertise and perspective
• Use the best of nonprofit strategy know-how: Drive dialogue and decisions from facts and rigorous analysis of options; Focus on the most critical decisions that will drive large scale impact; tackle questions that require “values” choices explicitly
• Presume good faith: People are engaging with Wikimedia in the best spirit of volunteerism and contribution to social good and will act with the best motives
• Learn and change: Try stuff, If it doesn’t work stop, and try something else

What do you think about the basic outline of this process? From your experience with Wikimedia, what strategic issues come to mind?

Barry Newstead is a partner in The Bridgespan Group’s San Francisco office.