Talk:Wikimedia Foundation Annual Plan/2017-2018/Mid-year review

Communications Program 2: Lead the narrative

Due to significant changes in the political climate, there have been more opportunities to position our values publicly though they also have less effect on actual policy

@Heather (WMF): Are those opportunities being taken in proportion to their greater number? Is there somewhere they, or Foundation actions to take them, or both, are quantified? If we are not taking the greater number of opportunities, then we are part of the problem.

Also, who's in charge of the graphic design department since your promotion, please? James Salsman (talk) 18:20, 12 March 2018 (UTC)

@James Salsman: We regret many opportunities we are unable to take as we're a fairly small team working on several large issues. There are so many events around the world and important topics to Wikimedia it's actually frustrating at times, and as you know, having impact requires focus. And we tend to talk more about our efforts within overall strategies than as singular tactics.

If you're asking about design in order to talk about the editing interface, the Communications department is unable to assist with any requests of that nature. Thank you, Heather Walls (WMF) (talk) 00:07, 13 March 2018 (UTC)

@Heather (WMF): Can the community help? Not with releases and other final draft forms of messaging which should be your responsibility, but how about with (1) finding media conversations and policy discussions where we could have a positive influence, (2) listing them somewhere here on meta, (3) brainstorming approaches for messaging to respond in ways we can lead in those conversations, and (4) drafting such responses? How much more could you do if community volunteers were helping in any or all of those four ways?

As for the editing interface, I'm asking for the name of the person who can approve the A/B test of the pencil vs. "[edit]" on mobile in the graphic design department who took over for you, please? James Salsman (talk) 14:14, 13 March 2018 (UTC)

@James Salsman:@GVarnum-WMF: We do an internal media report every day, so I wouldn't want to ask volunteers to duplicate that effort. As for the A/B test, that's not our method of product development as far as I understand it. None of my folks could approve anything like that and I'm not sure that there's anyone who can, which doesn't even begin to address whether they should. Heather Walls (WMF) (talk) 19:04, 14 March 2018 (UTC)

@Heather (WMF): I was asked to obtain design review before the A/B test of editing uptake from "[edit]" instead of the pencil icon for editing on mobile could be measured. Since you are no longer the person who can authorize that review, who is? Do you have any evidence that the question should not be measured? James Salsman (talk) 11:47, 18 April 2018 (UTC)

Finance Non-Program 3: Internal Financial Management Process

@JVillagomez (WMF): How does the Foundation decide how to invest non-endowment long term funds? Now that we have a managed endowment for backup, can we keep the bulk of non-endowment savings in funds earning several percent annually as opposed to the small fraction of a percent we have been earning over the past decade? James Salsman (talk) 14:26, 13 March 2018 (UTC)

@James Salsman: Our investment philosophy favors preservation of capital, income and liquidity over‎ capital appreciation, which has higher volatility. As of the date of our mid year report, of our total cash and investment balance, approximately 93% is in Cash, Money Market and Fixed Income instruments that are highly liquid so that it can support up to 24 months of operating expenses. JBaldwin (WMF) (talk) 17:21, 26 March 2018 (UTC)

@JBaldwin (WMF): why? Is there any evidence that high yield mutual funds would be illiquid if used to support 24 months of operating expenses? Or that they would have any other disadvantages? Is there an authority upon which you are relying to make this decision in the absence of evidence? If so, please cite it. James Salsman (talk) 11:20, 18 April 2018 (UTC)