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

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).
• Larry creates a generic Workgroup Week sign-up page.
• We create a page for that particular Workgroup Week, and link to it from the table.

Workgroup preparation

• Each workgroup needs a Workgroup Week Coordinator--a cheerleader, secretary, and 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.
• We develop the Core Articles list for the workgroup completely.

Academic recruitment

• Early on--before Internet recruitment--we send letters to major academic departments and academic/professional organizations, introducing ourselves and asking for some sort of endorsement--i.e., asking them to ask their colleagues and members to participate on the week:
  • Adapt (as necessary) the letter you'll find at CZ:Workgroup Weeks/Endorsement Letter Template.
  • Create a list of departments and e-mail addresses.
  • Send letter, respond to any reply, and post any endorsements on the workgroup week's page.
• As editors arrive, we construct a list of newly-recruited editors; we ask existing members (preferably editors) to follow up with those people. This is something that a workgroup coordinator should handle.

Internet recruitment

There are zillions of mailing lists, blogs, Web forums, etc., in every field. We can get (and have gotten) large numbers of people to join CZ simply by telling people in those venues of our existence. For each workgroup, need volunteers to do the following.

Letter composition

• Adapt (as necessary) the letter to mailing lists you'll find at CZ:Workgroup Weeks/Recruitment Letter Template.
• Adapt (as necessary) the letter to bloggers you'll find at CZ:Workgroup Weeks/Blogger Letter Template.

Searching for Web resources

NOTE for the following: if you're not experienced in searching for Web resources like these, here are some tips:

• Google the all-knowing, all-seeing is often your best source. If I were searching for anthropology mailing lists, I might type in anthropology "mailing list" and I wouldn't go far wrong.
• There are specific hosting services of mailing lists (like Yahoo Groups) and sometimes the best way to find an active group is to go directly there to search.
• There are also many websites that list mailing lists. There must also be websites that list Web forums.
• There are many blog search engines that allow you to search not just individual blog posts but for the blogs themselves. Technorati is one of the best, but Ask and Google blog search might be useful...and there are others.
• Another good way to find Internet resources is to search Google for the leading websites about a general topic, websites that present themselves as "home base" for a subject. These will often list mailing lists, forums, and blogs.
• Add a tip!

Mailing lists

• Locate and give the address of as many active mailing lists as possible--at least three, but please try to do more than that.
• Actually join the list(s).
• Write the listowner and ask for permission to post the message.
• Actually post the message (if the listowner doesn't post it him/herself). (There will be a form letter to adapt for this.)
• Follow-up on any replies made to the message (you might have to defend the project against objections!). Stay on the list until you've finished the next step.
• On the first day of the Workgroup Week, post messages to all the lists saying that the Citizendium X-ology Week is starting now--come join us, etc. (We might have a template to use for this mail, too.)
• Note: for very big mailing lists/list clusters, like H-Net, we can have for example an "H-Net Day" in which people from that community are specifically invited to join in. Think of it as a sort of Write-a-Thon sort of "get-together."

Web forums

• Locate and give the address of as many active Web forums (example) as possible.
• Actually join the forum(s).
• If necessary (but it probably won't be), write the forum moderator(s), and ask for permission to post the message.
• Actually post the message (if the listowner doesn't post it him/herself). (There will be a form letter to adapt for this.)
• Follow-up on any replies made to the message (you might have to defend the project against objections!).
• On the first day of the Workgroup Week, post messages to all the forums saying that the Citizendium X-ology Week is starting now--come join us, etc. (We might have a template to use for this post, too.)

Blogs

• Collect, from your blog search engine(s) or other resource of course, the addresses of some very high-traffic websites devoted mostly to the workgroup's topic. (Technorati should work well here.)
• Visit the blogs, make sure they're active, and collect either the e-mail address or the URL of the contact form for the blog.
• Ask the blogger to post an announcement of the Citizendium X-ology Week that is coming up on [date]. For maximum impact, send these messages out all at the same time. (There will be a form letter, or press release--see below--to adapt for this.)
• On the first day of the Workgroup Week, once again, if appropriate, ask the blog to post an announcement that the CZ X-ology Week is starting now--come join us, etc. (We might have a template to use for this post, too.)

"Big" websites

• Locate the leading websites (not blogs) for the discipline.
• Determine whether they have an announcement section or blog.
• If so, send the CZ X-ology Week message to them.
• On the first day of the Workgroup Week, once again, if appropriate, ask the webmaster to post an announcement that the CZ X-ology Week is starting now--come join us, etc.

Press release

• We write a press release focused at industry publications/blogs, in advance. (This can be a tailored version of a press release we write for the first Workgroup Week.) The press contacts should include Larry as well as an editor from the workgroup.
• Send copies of the press release in advance to the industry publications.
• Send reminders on the first day of the Workgroup Week.