Archive:Workgroup Weeks/Preparation

This is a detailed, editable/collaborative set of "instructions" for those of us executing Workgroup Weeks (individual weeks and the whole initiative series).

How should we choose what workgroups to launch in what order?

• First, Larry makes the announcement of Workgroup Weeks and asks for people to sign up for particular workgroups. He should make a second "reminder" announcement after a few days or a week.
• We arrange the workgroups on the table on CZ:Workgroup Weeks in order of interest. We should take into account how motivated the volunteers and whether they are editors; we'd like to do a Workgroup Week with at least one active editor, who can help "meet and greet."
• Once the volunteers have spoken up, we add a column to the above-mentioned table, designating the first Workgroup Week's dates (see below).
• We create a page for that particular Workgroup Week, and link to it from the table.

The lead-up to a Workgroup Week

Most of the organizational work for a Workgroup Week will probably be done before the week itself.

Leading up to a given workgroup week,

• We canvass as many and as varied a group of mailing lists, blogs, etc., as possible, including of course CZ lists. We also contact the secretaries and chairs of all major research departments. We follow up each of these once if not twice. Push Eduzendium hard in these communications.
• We do a press release focused at industry publications/blogs, in advance. We follow this up with reports to major mailing lists and blogs.
• We broker endorsements and partnerships with major departments: put together Advisory Boards for each workgroup?
• Recruit an Editorial Personnel Administrator for each workgroup.
• Ask old editors to follow up with new editors personally.
• Each workgroup needs something like a coordinator, secretary, or reporter--as informal and low-key as possible--as a key expert contact point. This person should be willing to put his or her name as a press contact.
• We develop the workgroup's page brilliantly.

Here are more details.

During the week itself

During the week itself, we will:

• Announce the week to Citizendium-L and Citizendium-Editors at the beginning of the week.
• Do daily updates on the mailing list for the CZ workgroup (e.g., cz-anthropology), reporting what new articles have been started, what significant work was done, welcoming new arrivals "publicly," cheerleading, etc.
• Announce the start of the week to the biggest mailing list(s) in the subject.
• Do an end-of-week wrap-up e-mail.