Language: English
Every day, thousands of people create accounts on Wikipedia, but most never successfully edit. Structured Tasks, like “Add a Link” and “Add an Image,” provide newcomers with simple and guided steps to help them contribute with confidence. By making editing more accessible and mobile friendly, these tasks help more new account holders complete their first edits, leading to higher engagement and improved retention.
This brief lightning talk will explore how Structured Tasks help newcomers take their first successful steps on Wikipedia. We’ll break down how these tasks work, share data-driven insights on their impact, and highlight how communities can configure and improve them.
You’ll see a quick demo of “Add a Link,” hear how different wikis have adapted Structured Tasks to fit their needs, and learn why they are a key tool for making editing more accessible and sustainable, especially for mobile-first contributors, by increasing newcomer engagement and retention.
- How does your session relate to the event theme: Wikimania@20: Inclusivity. Impact. Sustainability?
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✅ Inclusivity: Structured Tasks break down barriers, making it easier for newcomers from diverse backgrounds to contribute.
✅ Impact: Data-backed results show that Structured Tasks increase newcomer activation and retention, helping more people successfully start editing.
✅ Sustainability: Making Wikipedia multi-generational relies on a steady flow of new editors. By guiding newcomers effectively, Structured Tasks help sustain and grow communities over time. - What is the experience level needed for the audience for your session?
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Everyone can participate in this session
- How do you plan to deliver this session? You will be asked to confirm this closer to the date in case of changes to the format.
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Onsite in Nairobi
- Should your session be selected for the program, do you agree to release your session and supporting materials on-wiki and on the eventyay platform under CC BY-SA 4.0?
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I agree
- What other themes or topics does your session fit into? Please choose from the list of tags below.
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Edit-a-thons, Product development