Greeting

Hi, I’m [MODERATOR NAME], thanks so much for coming in today!

Permission

For In-Person Sessions: Before we get started let’s get these consent forms filled out. Basically we’re going to be recording both your computer screen, and your face through that camera, and then our audio conversation. Those recordings are going to be posted on the internet under Creative Commons licensing, so they’ll be available for anyone who’s interested in this research to view at least part of them. By signing here, you’re agreeing that’s okay. Also, if you initial down below, we’ll label the video with your first name. If you’d rather we didn’t, we’ll label it with a made- up name instead. In either case, your face will be visible and your voice audible. Do you have any questions?

For Remote Sessions: Prior to today, you should have received and returned a consent form for recording of this session. Basically we’re going to be recording both your computer screen and our audio conversation. Those recordings are going to be posted on the internet under Creative Commons licensing, so they’ll be available for anyone who’s interested in this research to view at least part of them. You will not be personally identified but your voice will be audible. Depending on what you’ve checked on your consent form, we’ll either label the video with just your first name, or make up a name. Do you have any questions?

Overview + Setup

Great, let’s talk a little about what were going to be doing here today. We’re collecting feedback on Wikipedia.org. Basically, I’ll ask you some questions and then watch you use the web site. The whole thing will take about 75 minutes.

Your job is really easy: you just have to be yourself and act as you naturally would. I did not design this website, and I don’t actually work directly for Wikipedia, I’m just collecting feedback, so I promise, nothing you say could hurt my feelings! As you use the site, please be honest with your positive and negative thoughts. There are no right or wrong answers. You are not being tested; the Wikipedia webpage is being tested.

Background Questions

So let’s get started with a few quick background questions.

1. Please tell me a little about yourself. What do you do? Where are you from?

1.5. Tell me about how computers fit into your day. How much time do you spend online? Do you publish a website or blog? Contribute reviews on Amazon or Yelp? What kinds of software do you use

2. What was it you were doing on Wikipedia when you filled out the survey a few weeks ago?

3. You said you come to Wikipedia [INSERT] often. What are you usually looking up/doing?

4. How has your experience been in the past?

4a. Non-Editors Only: You mentioned that you haven’t edited Wikipedia before, but you’d be willing to. What are the reasons that you haven’t in the past?

4b. Non-Editors Only: Can you tell me what you know now about the process of editing?

4c. Editors Only: You mentioned that you have contributed to Wikipedia before. What are your impressions of the contribution and editing process?

Tasks + Testing

Next I’d like to have you go on Wikipedia to do a couple of tasks. As we do this, there’s one thing that I would like you to keep in mind. Please “think aloud” as you use the web site today. For example, if you are reading something, read it out loud and feel free to say anything that comes to your mind as you read - for example that’s interesting or what in the world are they talking about? Also, think out loud while you’re doing a task, so I can understand what you are thinking and doing. (e.g.: Now I’m going to try to use the search engine) And, if you get to a point where you would naturally stop working, let me know. I’ll let you decide when your task is complete, whether you find what you are looking for or not. Just tell me when you’re finished.

Do you have any questions before we continue?

Today, we’re going to be focusing on navigating through the website and making changes to Wikipedia entries. Let’s go to the Wikipedia website. In your browser, please go to www.wikipedia.org and then click ENGLISH

Basic Editing

1. Do you have a Wikipedia account? Note, moderator will provide them with preset credentials.

2. Let’s take a look at an article on Wikipedia on something that you know a lot about. If participant can’t remember or declines, suggest: Hometown; Favorite sports team, movie, singer, actor; last meal you had/book you read; College or University you attended. First I’d like for you to just spend some time on the page, look around, and talk to me about the different features you see here.

3. Ok, let’s say you wanted to add some information to this page. What would you do first?

4. After user discovers the editing interface: Take a moment to look around the page here. Talk to me about the tools that you see here and how you might use them. 5. Ok, so let’s go ahead and add some information to this page. The information can be anything you want. How would you do that? If participant cannot think of text to add, suggest “Free knowledge for everyone on the planet.”

6. What do you think about that list of links to the right hand side of the edit box (TOC)? What do you think is going on there. Skip if no TOC on chosen page.

7. What about linking the information you added to a page somewhere else on the internet? How would you do that?

8. Let’s say you want to link the information you added to the page to another page on Wikipedia. How would you do that?

9. Let’s say you want to add a reference to this page, like a footnote, which will appear at the bottom of the page in the References. Add the reference to something that you have added to the page. How would you do that?

10. How likely would you be to do this?

11. Now that you’ve used the editing interface a bit, is there anything that strikes you as confusing? Prompt about navigation & other elements of the toolbar

12. Is there anything missing that you’d normally expect to see?

13. Let’s say you’re satisfied with the changes you’ve made and want to add them to Wikipedia. How would you go about doing that? Note: Explore Save & Preview choices.

14. Now that you’ve done this, how likely is it that you would do it again or more often?

15. Please go to the discussion page for this article. Have you ever read, used or contributed to a discussion page for a Wikipedia article? If so, please tell me about that.

Advanced Editing

Next we’re going to try some other editing tasks.

If user is already on entry for a location, then we can remain on this page. If not, direct the user to call up their Hometown page. If Hometown page does not have Template, then direct user to San Francisco, CA page,

1. First, take a look at the long box of information that runs down the right-hand side of the page. Please take a minute to scan it. Now, let’s say you just moved to this city / town and wanted to change the population info to be one greater. How would you do that?

3a. If the participant doesn’t use the Infobox, then: Let’s take a look at the item in the edit area labeled: “Infobox settlement:” ... Please take a minute to interact with it and give me your thoughts. What do you think this is for?

2. Does the Infobox item work generally as you’d expect? If participant has only discovered Expansion feature, then prompt for Overlay, and vice versa.

3. Next, I’d like you to create a new section on this page. If this location page has a Sports section, add new subsection titled “Rivalries” ... If this location page does not have a Sports Section, then ask the user to add one ... Note that the user should make text Bold and increase Font Size

2. Ok, next I’d like you to enter some information under this new section. I’d like you to add a simple table. This table should show the different sports rivalries with this town. The table should look something like this: In person interviews hand the following to the participant. Remote users will be given a link to a web page with this diagram.

Sport Hometown Team Rival Team
Baseball Team Team
Football Team Team
Basketball Team Team

Optional Questions – Time Permitting

1. What about the View History page?

2. If you wanted to create a completely new article entry, how would you do that? Suggest using a completely made up historical figure.

3. Let’s say you wanted help during this process. Where would you go? Prompt to explore toolbar help.

Final Questions + Wrap up

1. Looking back, what do you think of everything you've seen and used?

2. What did you like the most?

3. The least?

4. What might encourage or increase your participation on Wikipedia.org?

5. If there was one comment that you would want to make sure that everyone at Wikipedia working on this project heard, what would it be?

6.Would it be okay for us to contact you if we have any follow up questions or information?