Learn more about updates to the Central Notice Guidelines by joining a Central Notice Requester training

Central Notice plays a critical role in the Wikimedia movement, enabling communities to share important messages, encourage participation in global campaigns, and support impactful initiatives. Central Notice requests are governed by a community process, where community selected Admins review requests from both Affiliates and volunteers.  

Between 80% and 90% of views of Central Banners are from Community and Affiliate generated requests. However, for a long time, both requesters and Admins communicated that navigating the policies around requests could be challenging. Sometimes a request would finish with both requesters and Central Notice Administrators (CN Admins) frustrated by the process.

Between Wikimania 2024 and December, we worked with the Central Notice Administrators to better understand their existing best practices, and update the CentralNotice Usage Guidelines. You can learn more about these updates, and join a training on how to use Central Notice on March 26 at 1400 UTC.

Ever seen a banner like this over a Wikipedia article? These are created by communities and governed by a public request process, where Central Notice admins approve the message and design of banners.

Why did the CentralNotice Usage Guidelines need an update?

When we began talking to Central Notice Administrators (CN Admins) on this issue, it became really clear that a lot of best practices understood by Administrators were not part of the policy. To address this, we initiated a collaborative and comprehensive review of the existing guidelines. By gathering feedback from the people involved in using Central Notice, including  CN Admins, fundraising teams, and members from various Wikimedia departments. Through first brainstorming sessions at Wikimania and online, then creating a collaborative first draft of existing operating consensus by the Admins, and candid discussions to understand the challenges and opportunities for improvement. 

One of the most valuable aspects of this process was the feedback loop we established. It was important for us to not only hear from experienced admins but also to understand the experiences of new requesters. Every suggestion and concern brought us closer to a set of guidelines that would work for everyone, regardless of their level of expertise with Central Notice. 

This was not a quick process. It took approximately 6 months to publish the updated guidelines. Central Notice is both very complicated, and Admins are often volunteers engaged in a lot of other movement activities, but in December we published the new Central Notice guidelines. 

The updated Central Notice guidelines introduced several key improvements, such as: T

• The approval process now includes specific timelines, and emphasizes the importance of obtaining community consensus, especially for new campaigns. 
• There are now banner customization policies that provide requesters with clear design standards, ensuring banners are visually accessible, and do not disrupt user experience. 
• There is also guidance on banner text and translation, encouraging clarity and inclusivity in multilingual campaigns and much more. 
• Furthermore, the policies for affiliates and WMF staff have been clarified, and the guidelines for fundraising and survey banners have been significantly refined. 

These updates make the request process more predictable and fair, ensuring that both Admins and requesters can navigate Central Notice more efficiently. 

With all the hard work that went into this process, we are incredibly proud of the outcome and excited to see the positive impact it will have on the community. Our goal was to create a framework that makes Central Notice more accessible, efficient, and user-friendly, and we’re optimistic that these changes will enhance the experience for all who intend to use Central Notice. 

Upcoming CentralNotice Training

With the updated Central Notice guidelines now in place, we want to make sure everyone who needs to use Central Notice has a chance to understand the policies and practices. A well-informed and confident community ensures that banner requests are not only effective but also adhere to best practices, making the approval process smoother for everyone. That’s why we are excited to announce our upcoming Central Notice training session! Designed to help both aspiring CN Admins and campaign organizers navigate the banner request process with ease. 

This training will be a great opportunity for anyone interested in becoming a CN Admin as well as new and experienced organizers who wish to leverage Central Notice for their campaigns. We will cover essential topics such as: 

• Understanding the CentralNotice system – How banners work and their impact. 
• How to submit a request – A step-by-step guide to ensure your request meets all requirements. 
• Best practices for effective campaign banners – What makes a successful and compliant banner. 
• The role of CN Admins – Responsibilities, processes, and how to become one. 
• The Admin approval process – Prospective CN admins will learn how to review, approve, and enable banners, ensuring compliance with guidelines. 
• Avoiding common pitfalls – Mistakes to avoid when submitting requests. 

Training Schedule and Next Steps 

• The first training session will be for campaign requesters and is scheduled to take place on 26th March, 2025. Sign up here!
• We will run an Admin training in May focused on supporting new Central Notice Admins on how to use the polices. If you would like to be informed by that update, please send an email to campaigns@wikimedia.org.

Who Should Sign Up? 

We encourage anyone who is interested in using central notice or becoming a Central Notice admin to attend this training. If you are an organizer running Wikimedia campaigns or are about to start, this is also a great opportunity for you. 

Whether you are new to Central Notice or have been using it for a while but would like more clarity on the process, this training is also for you. Sign up here! 

For any immediate questions, reach out to campaigns@wikimedia.org. We look forward to seeing you there.