Talk pages consultation 2019/Program and event organizers

This is a page for program and event organizers to add your perspectives and ideas to the Talk pages consultation 2019. This consultation brings Wikimedians and wiki-minded people together to define better tools for wiki communication. The goal by the end of June 2019 is to have a rough consensus on a product direction for improvements to the wiki communication system. (For more information, see the TPC main page.)

We're interested in hearing from program and event organizers, because you work with a wide range of wiki contributors, from very active editors to newbies who have never contributed to a wiki before. It's difficult for us to reach new contributors and invite them to take part in this consultation, so we're especially interested in your experiences working with folks who are on the newer end of the spectrum. Of course, you can also write about your own experiences and ideas.

When we say "talk pages," we mean places where participants communicate on-wiki with other people. This could mean any of the talk namespaces, a project page, subpage, sandbox or any other wiki page. It includes wikitext talk pages, as well as Flow/Structured Discussions, LiquidThreads, special scripts or gadgets, or any other system.

Feel free to respond to other people on this page, if you'd like -- agree, disagree, ask questions. We'd like to get as much information as you can share with us. If you have questions or thoughts about the consultation process, you can write on the consultation main talk page, or ping User:DannyH (WMF) and User:Trizek (WMF). Thanks!

First: What's the program/event/group(s) that you participate in?
(We're asking this here, so you don't have to write it in other responses down the page.)

For programs where participants communicate with other people on-wiki
'''Why do participants communicate on-wiki in your program? Do they communicate with organizers, with each other, both? How often?'''

'''Do you teach participants how to use talk pages, or give them tips or instructions? What kind of information do you give them?'''

'''Do participants struggle with on-wiki communication? Do they make mistakes, or get frustrated? What kind of problems do they have?'''

'''Do participants communicate successfully on-wiki? What helps them?'''

Are there features or changes to talk pages/on-wiki communication that would make your program easier or more successful?

For programs where participants don't communicate with other people on-wiki
'''Why do participants communicate in your program? Do they communicate with organizers, with each other, both? How often?'''

'''Do participants use another way to communicate? In person, email, a different website or tool? If so, why does that method work better than on-wiki communication?'''

Are there any features or changes to talk pages/on-wiki communication that would make your program more likely to use on-wiki communication?

Your own experience
When you want to talk on-wiki, what tools work for you, and what problems block you?

What do you wish you could do on talk pages, but can't due to the technical limitations?

Any other thoughts or suggestions about talk pages?

Thank you for participating!