Project

Wikifunctions, phases 1 & 2

Research interviews exploring the Wikifunctions concept and early prototype design.

two men programming
Photo by Wikimedia Commons User:AP303. CC BY-SA 4.0

Overview

Wikifunctions is a new project focused on writing and sharing code as part of the broader Abstract Wikipedia initiative. The first phase of research focused on whether non-programmers could understand the Wikifunctions interface and how they might use the site. 18 people reviewed screenshots of the initial prototype. The second phase of research focused on feedback from programmers. The goal was to interview those who already knew how to code but did not think of themselves as professional developers.

Top High Level Takeaways:

  • Regardless of their individual coding abilities, participants overwhelmingly felt that the Wikifunctions project was meant for programmers.
  • None of the participants could imagine substantive contributions for non-programmers beyond administrative tasks or language translation skills. Those who were not technically inclined recognized that the project was not for them.
  • Programmers generally understood the UI but were skeptical about the project goals. Most felt that the interface would be unsuitable for complex functions.

Findings

  1. Project Objective

  2. Mental Models Report

  3. Interview Feedback Report