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You will find below the roadmap of the software development team (Wikimedia Deutschland) for Wikidata and Wikibase for 2023. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to use the talk page or write on Wikidata:Report a technical problem. Please note that the roadmap presents the main projects that the development team will work on during the first and second quarters of 2023. Development may continue for some of these projects beyond that period. At the beginning of each quarter, this page will be updated to include the development estimates for that quarter. Required tasks such as maintenance and bug fixes are not mentioned in the roadmap, but will be included in the workflow over the year. The roadmap is based on estimations and will evolve during the year. The roadmap doesn't contain events we're attending or organizing.
Wikidata as a platform
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Empower the community to increase data quality
We must ensure that our socio-technical system helps editors increase the quality of Wikidata’s existing data and contribute new high-quality data.
Feedback loops with data re-users (support)
- Objective:
We want to build out feedback loops with data re-users to get them more actively involved in improving the data on Wikidata.
- Description:
We have developed the Mismatch Finder as a base for setting up these feedback loops. Now we need to help reusers find their way and understand their potential contributions.
- Upcoming Activities:
- Work with data re-users and researchers to get mismatches. This means release targeted outreach material for re-users and approach potential mismatch providers. (Q1)
Entity Schema build-out and integration (development)
- Objective:
We want to better integrate the existing Entity Schemas so that they become more central to data maintenance processes and can codify modeling decisions.
- Description:
We have Entity Schemas on Wikidata that are not well integrated to existing workflows and community processes. We need to decide what the next steps are.
- Upcoming Activities:
- Start development of version 2 of Entity Schemas. This means finalizing prototyping, deciding on a way forward, starting coding on version 2 and making a test system available - Phabricator board (Q1)
- Release a new datatype that allows linking to EntitySchemas in statements in order to connect a class to the EntitySchema(s) governing it. (Q2)
Increase re-use for increased impact
We want to make sure that anyone can use the data in Wikidata to make the world a better place. While everyone can re-use our data, we give priority to organizations and projects that align with our values and have a high impact.
REST API
- Objective:
We want to improve our APIs to make it easier for programmers to access our data.
- Description:
We will release and improve the Wikibase REST API.
- Upcoming Activities:
- Release the first version of the Wikibase REST API to Wikidata - Phabricator ticket and board. (Q1)
- Build out the first version of the Wikibase REST API based on feedback received for the first version and expand it to handle Properties as well. (Q2)
Facilitate equity in decision-making
We want to ensure that diverse perspectives come into play as fundamental decisions are made for and about Wikidata. By doing so we can better support knowledge often underrepresented in knowledge graphs.
WikidataCon
- Objective:
Organize an event focused on the Wikidata community.
- Description:
Wikimedia Germany and Wikimedia Taiwan jointly organize a WikidataCon that explores open data projects in East Asia.
- Upcoming Activities:
- Accompany Wikimedia Taiwan in the next steps of organizing the conference. (Q1) (Q2)
The Wikimedia Projects should be able to rely on Wikidata to share their workload across language and project family boundaries.
Wikidata and the Wikimedia Projects
- Objective:
We want Wikidata and the other Wikimedia projects to increase their collaboration for mutual benefit
- Description:
We establish structures to support the collaboration between Wikidata and the other Wikimedia projects sustainably.
- Upcoming Activities:
- Start hiring for a dedicated team (Product Manager, UX researcher, Engineering Manager, Community Communications Manager). (Q1)
- Continue hiring the initial team (UX, EM, ComCom) (Q2)
Strengthen underrepresented languages
More people need access to knowledge and technology presented in their own language, and content in that language should be accessible to all. Language data is a fundamental building block in reaching that goal.
Wikidata Software Collaboration
- Objective:
We have trusting and sustainable relationships with our partners.
- Description:
We want our partners at Wikimedia Indonesia and the Igbo Wikimedians User Group to have everything they need to implement their projects.
- Upcoming Activities:
- Discuss and decide with our partners on their foci for the next months. E.g. scoping the technical changes for WMID. (Q1)
- Plan the 2023 partnership-building activities (e.g. real-live meeting in Jakarta). (Q1)
- Continue to support the projects financially and with our feedback/ input. (Q1)
- Decide on what to do with the project's underspending. (Q1)
- Support for hiring of 2 engineers at Wikimedia Indonesia (Q2)
- Finalization of plans for Wiki Mentor Africa 2 and signing of new Funding Agreement for Igbo Wikimedians User Group (Q2)
Wikibase Ecosystem
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Wikibase Cloud
We must ensure that more projects are able to independently onboard themselves into the Wikibase Ecosystem by reducing the complexity of software setup, data importing, and maintenance. To support knowledge equity, in parallel we must ensure that the Wikibase Ecosystem welcomes a variety of topics and disciplines.
A greater number of diverse knowledge curators can independently join the Wikibase Ecosystem
- Objective:
Wikibase.cloud fosters a diverse and thriving ecosystem with a healthy growth of new Wikibases.
- Description:
We want to grow a larger community of Wikibase users as well as a larger amount of Wikibases, so that we can continue to learn how to further develop Wikibase Cloud. At the same time, we want to ensure we grow a healthy and diverse ecosystem from the get-go, so that it’s inclusive and Wikibase Cloud can create opportunities for anyone interested in sharing in linked open data within the ecosystem.
- Upcoming Activities:
- Provide our users with a smooth and scalable Search solution, to remove a large disruptive issue in easily finding and enhancing data (Q1)
- Identify the requirements for an improved user flow from modeling their data to adding it to Wikibase Cloud to support a better user experience for new joiners as well as existing users (main survey outcome) (Q1)
- Start creating solid references for new Wikibase users (aka Newbie Docs) to support new users in joining the ecosystem (Q1)
- Prepare a plan to proactively reach underrepresented knowledge communities (Q1) (Shared with Wikibase Suite)
- Finalize the path to move from a closed to an open Beta (Q1) (Shared with Wikibase Suite)
- Advance knowledge equity and representation by evaluating existing internal Wikibase practices (together with Cloud, Q2)
- Learn from 2-3 organizations who work with underrepresented knowledge or communities in ethical and fair ways (together with Suite, Q2)
- Have everything in place to move into Open Beta to support further growth of the ecosystem (Q2)
- Create more visibility of existing Wikibases to support new users in getting started with their Wikibase (Q2)
- Enhance visibility and promotion of Wikibase Cloud to support further growth on the ecosystem (Q2)
- Reduce complexity in development setup to set ourselves up for success as our product scales (Q2)
Wikibase Suite
We must ensure that more projects are able to independently onboard themselves into the Wikibase Ecosystem by reducing the complexity of software setup, data importing, and maintenance. To support knowledge equity, in parallel we must ensure that the Wikibase Ecosystem welcomes a variety of topics and disciplines.
Knowledge projects can rely on Wikibase Suite as a Linked Open Data software for professional use
- Objective:
Stakeholders of Wikibase Suite are sustainably supported by WMDE
- Description:
We want to ensure people can run their Wikibases using the installs from Wikibase Suite on the latest versions, and that we provide these on a regular basis. In parallel, we want to ensure we are able to empower and support Wikibase Suite users by understanding their needs and problems and setting ourselves up to meet and solve those.
- Upcoming Activities:
- Gain a deeper understanding of opportunities and problems to solve to define a mid term strategy for Wikibase Suite (Q1+Q2)
- Build a team with the skills and focus to act and solve the problems we identify (Q1)
- Catch up to Mediawiki releases (1.38 and 1.39) and make a plan to stay caught up (Q1)
- Mediawiki Release strategy (Q2)
A greater number of diverse knowledge projects can join the Wikibase Ecosystem.
- Objective:
Communities outside of Europe and North America benefit from Wikibase – both Suite and Cloud
- Description:
We want to ensure we grow a healthy and diverse ecosystem so that it’s inclusive and Wikibase Suite can create opportunities for anyone interested in sharing in linked open data within the ecosystem.
- Upcoming Activities:
- Start creating solid references for new Wikibase users (aka Newbie Docs) to support new users in joining the ecosystem (Q1) (Shared with Wikibase Cloud)
- Prepare a plan to proactively reach underrepresented knowledge communities (Q1) (Shared with Wikibase Cloud)
- Advance knowledge equity and representation by evaluating existing internal Wikibase practices (together with Cloud, Q2)
- Learn from 2-3 organizations who work with underrepresented knowledge or communities in ethical and fair ways (together with Cloud, Q2)
- Establish Suite Roadmaps (Q2)
- Build up and onboard the team (Q2)