WiR Anglophone Bi-Weekly Webinar: Customising Your Wiki Userpage

Wikimedia offers a vast landscape for contributors to share open knowledge and the Code for Africa’s Wikimedia-in-Residence community is continuously engaged in fostering deeper connections and enhancing the user experience on the various Wikimedia projects. On the 8th of September, 2023, our community organised a session as part of the WiR bi-weekly webinar 2.0, focusing on the topic “Customising Your Wiki Userpage” and adeptly facilitated by Bukola James, the CfA’s WiR community coordinator.

DIVERSE PARTICIPATION

As the session commenced, it was encouraging to see 35 African Wikimedians  joining from Chad, Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Uganda with a notable 25 attendees deeply engaged throughout the session, indicating a strong interest in the topic of  Wikimedia user page customisation.

GUIDANCE FROM THE TRAINER : JAMES POPOOLA

James Popoola, the Founder of Open Future Africa and Wiki Loves SDGs Nigeria took the lead in this session as the Trainer, delving into the intricacies of the Wiki Userpage such as features of a userpage, userpage rudiments, and how to design and customise a userpage using info-boxes . Through his insights, the community was introduced to the concept that a userpage goes beyond a mere profile; it’s an embodiment of an individual’s contributions and their unique identity within the Wikimedia ecosystem.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

UNDERSTANDING THE USERPAGE:

• Concept and Purpose: Every Wikimedian’s userpage acts as their digital identity on the various Wikimedia platforms, highlighting their contributions, engagements, and interests. It provides a way to introduce oneself to other Wikimedians, and for newcomers, it offers a chance to practise Wikipedia’s editing tools before jumping into real-time page editing. An example can be found on the profile of User: James Moore200, showcasing the components and layout of a well-structured userpage.

FEATURES OF A USERPAGE:

• Across Platforms: Userpages across various Wikimedia platforms showcase diverse features, including Discussion, Alerts, Language Preferences, Watchlist, Contributions, and more.
• Visual Components: Features like the Read/Edit tabs, View History, Search Box, and editing mode toggling via a pencil icon are integral for a seamless user experience on every Wikimedia project interface.

ENHANCING THE USERPAGE:

• Personal and Professional Information: A userpage can be enriched by adding a short biography, areas of interest or passion, professional experiences, affiliations with Wikimedia, and images or past photos.
• Achievements and Contributions: Reflecting on one’s journey, wiki accomplishments, awards, and notable contributions can be displayed, enhancing the comprehensive nature of the userpage.
• Practical Session Insights: During the webinar, attendees were guided through a practical session wherein they were shown how to design a userpage, incorporating the explained features as contained on the session slide.

CUSTOMISATION TECHNIQUES:

• Creation Process: For those new to the Wiki ecosystem, the session detailed a step-by-step guide on how to create their userpage from logging into Wikipedia, to the nuances of editing and publishing it.
• Advanced Customisations: Further elevating their userpage, attendees learned to integrate custom layouts, user boxes, and barnstars to showcase achievements. There was also a focus on setting language preferences and integrating advanced features like infoboxes for a more personalised touch.
• Hands-On Examples: Using the trainers’ : James Moore200’s userpage as an example, various stages of customisation, from infobox integrations to layout adjustments, were illustrated in real-time.
• In essence, the webinar empowered attendees with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to craft a userpage that not only adheres to Wikimedia’s standards but also resonates with their unique journey and contributions. You can access the presentation for a detailed visual walkthrough of the discussed points.

INTERACTIVE SESSION

Participants actively engaged during the webinar, trying out various customisation techniques in real-time. Feedback was actively sought using Airtable forms, ensuring that the session remained interactive and dynamic. Some of the feedback from the session include; 

“It was a very valuable session for delving on wikimedia userpage”…

Munkaila Suileman

“It’s a great session as I have learned how to create a userpage.”…

Samson Opus

“I hope to learn more as time goes on”…

Eru Stephen 

REFLECTIONS

Post-session, the emphasis was clear: The importance of creating a unique space on Wikimedia that truly represents each individual’s journey and contributions. As the Wikimedia-in-Residence community at Code for Africa continues to grow and evolve, the shared vision remains focused on enriching the platform and enhancing user engagement.

For those interested in revisiting the session or those who might have missed it, the recorded version is available on the community programmes page and do well to test your knowledge on our academy Africa. Ensure you are registered for the upcoming CfA WiR Bi-weekly webinar and immerse in our vibrant community. To stay abreast of our initiatives, complete this form, and let’s shape the future together!