2025:Program/Structured Tasks: first edit, first success
Session title: Structured Tasks: first edit, first success
- Session type: Lightning talk
- Track: Lightning Talk Showcase
- Language: en
Every day, thousands of people create accounts on Wikipedia, but most never successfully edit. Structured Tasks, like “Add a Link” and “Add an Image,” provide newcomers with simple and guided steps to help them contribute with confidence. By making editing more accessible and mobile friendly, these tasks help more new account holders complete their first edits, leading to higher engagement and improved retention.
Description
This brief lightning talk will explore how Structured Tasks help newcomers take their first successful steps on Wikipedia. We’ll break down how these tasks work, share data-driven insights on their impact, and highlight how communities can configure and improve them.
You’ll see a quick demo of “Add a Link,” hear how different wikis have adapted Structured Tasks to fit their needs, and learn why they are a key tool for making editing more accessible and sustainable, especially for mobile-first contributors, by increasing newcomer engagement and retention.
- How does your session relate to the event theme, Wikimania@20 – Inclusivity. Impact. Sustainability?
✅ Inclusivity: Structured Tasks break down barriers, making it easier for newcomers from diverse backgrounds to contribute. ✅ Impact: Data-backed results show that Structured Tasks increase newcomer activation and retention, helping more people successfully start editing. ✅ Sustainability: Making Wikipedia multi-generational relies on a steady flow of new editors. By guiding newcomers effectively, Structured Tasks help sustain and grow communities over time.
- What is the experience level needed for the audience for your session?
Everyone can participate in this session
Resources
Speakers
- kstoller
- I'm a Product Manager on the Wikimedia Foundation's Growth team, where I work on features that help newcomers start editing and feel confident contributing. I focus on the Newcomer Homepage, Mentorship, Structured Tasks, Community Configuration, and making mobile editing more engaging.
- As a former librarian with a background in crowdsourced information platforms, I'm passionate about expanding access to knowledge and empowering people to take part in shaping it.