Maintaining the Efficiency of Open Production Systems at Scale: a Case Study of Wikipedia
Maintaining the Efficiency of Open Production Systems at Scale: a Case Study of Wikipedia - scientific work related to Wikipedia quality published in 2013, written by John Riedl, Loren G. Terveen and Aaron Halfaker.
Overview
This dissertation represents an exploration of the function and failures of critical subsystems in open production communities with Wikipedia as a case study. Specifically, Author explore the nature of rejection via Wikipedia's informal, post-hoc quality control system and identify a consistent ownership bias that undermines Wikipedia's ethos of openness. Author also quantify an inherent trade-off between the speed and efficiency of quality control in Wikipedia and the motivation of rejected contributors -- especially new editors. Author then proceed to show how Wikipedia's shifting focus on quality control and formal process has led to a dramatic decline in the rate of retention of desirable new editors that threatens the long-term viability of the project. In light of these results, Author present studies of two experimental software systems intended to explore potential solutions to this steady decrease in participation. First Author draw on social learning theory to evaluate the effectiveness of a new mode of peripheral participation through reader-submitted feedback. Author experimentally demonstrate effective strategies for increasing the rate of contributions without decreasing quality and argue for efficient moderation support in order to make quality control worth volunteer time spent away from editing the encyclopedia. Next, Author describe the design and three month field study of a new intelligent software system intended to both efficiently support socialization practices in Wikipedia and bring visibility to the systemic problems that lead to declining newcomer retention. Author show evidence that the system works in both regards: critical newcomer socialization activities are made dramatically more efficient and users of the system reflect openly on the breakdowns in Wikipedia's quality control processes. This work has already had impact within the Wikipedia community and in directing the strategy employed by the Wikimedia Foundation in designing and evaluating new software for Wikipedia editors.
