Wikipedia Usability Initiative

The Wikipedia Usability Initiative ran from 2009 to 2011 and was realized by a grant from the U.S.-based Stanton Foundation. The goal of this initiative is to measurably increase the usability of Wikipedia for new contributors by improving the underlying software on the basis of user behavioral studies, thereby reducing barriers to public participation. With an initial focus on English Wikipedia, eventually this research and development will be implemented across all languages and possibly to other Wikimedia projects.

Wikipedia Usability Initiative logo
Wikipedia Usability Initiative logo

Contribution Ideal

Information

 
Wikipedia Usability Initiative presentation by Naoko Komura (PDF)
  • This project has a limited scope which corresponds to our grant, so please get familiar with this to best contribute.
  • If you are new here, you may be assisted by taking a look at our frequently asked questions.
  • If you want to learn more about other present and past efforts to improve usability, our links to related sites may be helpful.
  • We're collecting a list of resources that may be useful in the field of human-computer-interface design and development.

Work in Progress

Research and Evaluation

Design

Development

  • Sandbox for testing experimental code and evaluating existing extensions.
  • Prototype of proposed usability improvements for various Wikipedia projects.

Getting Involved

  • Feedback on the staging of changes seen on our prototype sites is being collected.
  • We need Your Opinion on changes that might affect you.