New Topic Tool Help contributors initiate conversations on talk pages with less effort.
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This page talks about theediting team's efforts to improve contributors' workflows for starting new topic threads on talk pages.
This new workflow for starting new conversations is intended to make it more intuitive forJunior Contributors to initiate conversations in ways other contributors can easily engage and helpSenior Contributors do the same with less effort.
This initiative sits within theTalk pages project, our team's larger effort to help contributors, across experience levels, communicate more easily on Wikipedia using talk pages. To accomplish this, we are building upon theTalk pages consultation 2019, and existing community conventions, to evolve existing wikitext talk pages.
To participate in and follow this project's development, we recommendadding this page to your watchlist. We will use this page to:
This section contains updates about the project's development.
Design of a new "Add topic" button are ready for you all to review.
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As part of the work we are doing to make it easier for people to recognize talk pages as places to communicate with other volunteers and locate the tools available to do so, we are introducing a new "Add Topic" button that we would value your input on.
This new "Add topic" is designed to make it easier for people to notice and access the button on desktop talk pages where people do not have access to thenew site-wide sticky header and the "Add Topic" button that now appears within it.
If you are interested in reviewing the design and sharing feedback about it, please visitTalk:Talk pages project/Usability.
In response to a community-initiated unanimous RFC, the Editing team will deploy the New Topic Tool to all editors at the English Wikipedia on 29 June 2022.(T311023)
Scaling
On 7 June, the New Topic Tool became available by default on desktop to everyone at Wiktionary, Wikinews, Wikibooks, Wikiquote, Wikisource, Wikispecies, Wikiversity, and Wikivoyage.You can see the deployment status of allTalk Pages Project features by visitingthe Deployment Status page.
New Setting
This week, we introduced a new setting withinSpecial:Preferences that enables you to decide for yourself what you see when you click on a red-linked talk page (or otherwise arrive at a talk page that has not yet been created).More details inphab:T297990.
Scaling
Today, the New Topic Tool became available by default on desktop to everyone at the 20 Wikipedias that participated in the recent A/B test.You can see the deployment status of allTalk Pages Project features by visitingthe Deployment Status page.
Additional A/B Test Analysis
We noted in the A/B test results we shared on 21 April that, "logged-in Senior Contributors (defined as people who have made ≥100 edits) areslightlymore successful publishing topics using theexisting section=new workflow than they are using the New Topic Tool."
Curious about why this might be so, we did an additional analysis to investigate the impact of experience level on Senior Contributors' New Topic Tool usage. In this additional analysis, we learned thateveryone who has made≤ 2,500 edits aremore successful using theNew Topic Tool.
This is new data is leading the Editing Team to have more confidence in the conclusion that most people are more successful publishing new topic with the New Topic Tool and any regressions in the data are signals of Senior Contributorspreferring the existing workflow rather than of deficiencies in the New Topic Tool.
Opt-Out Deployment
As a result of the findings above, we plan for the New Topic Tool to become available by default on desktop to everyone at the 20 Wikipedias that participated in the A/B test.
The Editing Team recently analyzed data from an A/B test of the New Topic Tool that ran at20 Wikipedias from 27 January 2022 through 25 March 2022.
What follows are the conclusions we are drawing from this analysis and the next steps the team is taking as a result.
Conclusions
The full A/B test reports can be found here:Logged-In New Topic AB Test Report +Logged-Out New Topic AB Test Report.
Next steps
The Editing will propose that the New Topic Tool be enabled by default for all volunteers (logged in and out) across experience levels at the 20 Wikipedias that participated in the A/B test.
In parallel, the Editing Team will do a follow-up investigation to help determine what could be contributing to Senior Contributors being slightly more successful in publishing topics using the existing section=new workflow. This investigation will happen inT306481 andT306579. We will post the findings here once they are finalized.
Naming
Going forward, we will be referring to the "New Discussion Tool" as the "New Topic Tool." We have made this decision in order to:
A/B Test
On 25 March 2022, the team finished running theA/B test of the New Topic Tool. In early May (or slightly before), you can expect the results from this A/B test to be published on this page.
A/B Test
Today, 27 January 2022, anA/B test of the New Topic Tool began at 20 Wikipedias:Amharic, Bengali, Chinese, Dutch, Egyptian, French, Hebrew, Hindi, Indonesia, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Oromo, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese.
Prototype: New Topic Tool Hint
A working prototype of the dismissible notice that will appear within the New Topic Tool is ready for you all to try.
We would value youtrying the prototype and sharing what you think about it on the talk page.
Design Concept: New Topic Tool Hint
The team is working on the design for a dismissible notice that will appear within the New Topic Tool.
This notice will offer people the ability to switch back to the legacy&action=edit§ion=new experience.
The in-progress design is pictured here. If there are ways you think this design could be improved to make it more clear to people that they have the ability to switch to the legacy&action=edit§ion=new experience, we would value you sharing these ideas onthe talk page.
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Source mode.New Functionality: Preserving text formatting
Starting next week, you will gain the ability to preserve formatting when pasting text into the New Topic Tool'sSource mode.
A/B Test
On 14 September 2021, the New Topic Tool became available as an opt-out feature at the first projects: ar.wiki and cs.wiki.
Before offering the New Topic Tool as an opt-out feature at more projects, we will be running anA/B test. The A/B test will help us evaluate the impact the New Topic Tool has on the likelihood that Junior Contributors successfully publish the new discussions they start writing.
We are now planning how the A/B test will be implemented. In the coming weeks, we will consult with wikis about participating in the test.You follow this work in Phabricator.
First opt-out deployment
Today, 14 September 2021, the New Topic Tool was made available as an on-by-default feature to all volunteers, logged in and out, at the Arabic and Czech Wikipedias. Today's deployment marks the first time the New Topic Tool is being made available to all volunteers at a project, by default.
Metrics: Initial adoption
On 17 August, the team completed an initial analysis of how people have been using the New Topic Tool while it has been available as a beta feature.
The objectives for this analysis was to answer the following questions;
In summary, this analysis is leading us to conclude:
With all of the above in mind, the Editing Team is going to move forward with offering the New Topic Tool as an on-by-default feature at an initial groups of Wikipedias (Arabic and Czech) in the next few weeks.
Review the findings from this analysis orview the full report.
New toolbar inSource mode
Yesterday, 5 August, theSource mode toolbar that was introduced as an opt-in setting in May, became available to all people who have the New Topic Tool enabled. Note: you can still turn this toolbar off if you would like withinSpecial:Preferences.
Empty talk pages
Next week, the first iteration of theempty state experience we shared on 2 August will be visible to everyone who has the New Topic Tool enabled as a beta feature.
New functionality
New Topic Tool as an opt-out setting
Later this month (August), we plan to offer the New Topic Tool as an opt-out setting at the first two projects: Arabic Wikipedia and Czech Wikipedia.
Before moving forward with this deployment, we will first complete an analysis of how people have been using the tool while it's been available as a beta feature. The purpose of this analysis is to:
The newly-createdExtension:DiscussionTools/NewTopicMethods page is a great resource for seeing how the New Topic Tool will interact with the variety of methods there are for starting new talk page sections.
New toolbar inSource mode
As of Tuesday, 11 May, you can enable a toolbar within the New Topic Tool'sSource mode. This toolbar introduces easier ways for pinging other people and inserting links into the comments you are drafting.
To start, this new mode is being offered as anopt-in preference. You can enable it by taking the following steps:
Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-editingDiscussion pages sectionEnable experimental tools in the quick replying and quick topic adding features' source modesSaveSource mode.png)
New tools inSource mode
In the coming weeks, you will be able to use a newSource mode in the New Topic Tool. This "newSource mode" introduces easier ways for pinging other people and inserting links into the topics you are drafting.
To start, this new mode will be offered as anopt-in preference. You can experiment with the prototype version of this new functionality on a test wikihere and review the deployment plan in Phabricator here:T276607.
Today, 16-March, the New Topic Tool became available as an opt-in beta feature at the English and Russian Wikipedias and allWikimedia Sister Projects.
Note: you can review how and where allTalk pages project features are available here:Talk pages project#Active initiatives.
Offering the New Topic Tool as an opt-in beta feature at more Wikipedias.
Yesterday, 10-March, the New Topic Tool became available as a beta feature to logged in users at all Wikipedias except the English, German, and Russian Wikipedias. We made the decision to offer the tool at more projects after verifying with people who have been using the tool at the Arabic, Czech, and Hungarian Wikipedias that it is working as expected.
1 week after initial beta feature deployment.
The New Topic Tool has been available at the Arabic, Czech and Hungarian Wikipedias for one week. So far, people have had positive things to say about the tool. Also, most people who have tried the tool at these wikis have used it more than once.
Over the next couple of weeks, the team will continue monitoring how people are using the tool, the experiences they are having with it and determine when and how the tool can be offered as aBeta Feature at more projects. In the meantime, if you are curious to see how people are using the tool, you can view this query:
Availability at Arabic, Czech and Hungarian Wikipedias.
Today, 18 February, the New Topic Tool became available as abeta feature at the Arabic, Czech and Hungarian Wikipedias. Once we are confident the tool is working as expected, we will begin the process of offering the New Topic Tool as a beta feature at more projects.
In the meantime, volunteers at all projects can try the New Topic Tool on any talk page by appending?dtenable=1 to the page's URL. For example:https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discusi%C3%B3n:F%C3%BAtbol?dtenable=1.
Trying the New Topic Tool in production
As of this week, you can try the New Topic Tool on any talk page URL by appending ?dtenable=1 to it. For example:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Village_pump_(WMF)?dtenable=1.
Usability testing + first deployment
Junior and Senior Contributors recently completed testing the New Topic Tool prototypes. Both groups of people found the New Topic Tool to be intuitive and to work in ways they would expect. These test findings have encouraged the team to move forward with plans to offer the tool as abeta feature at the Arabic, Czech and Hungarian Wikipedias in the coming weeks.
You can read more about these usability tests in theUsability testing section below.
Version 1.0 prototype
The prototype of version 1.0 of the New Topic Tool is ready and we would value you trying it out and sharing what you think could be improved about how it functions.
You can try the prototype by clicking the link below on a desktop computer:https://patchdemo.wmflabs.org/wikis/3e14959a196db0f7b0c32a35c99dc0fc/w/index.php/Project:Teahouse. (You do not need an account to maintain privacy. The IP address that is posted for all comments (172.16.0.164) belongs to the server.)
You can read the instructions for sharing feedback by visiting the talk page:Talk:Talk pages project/New topic/2020/12#h-Feedback_request:_Version_1.0_Prototype-2020-12-17T23:52:00.000Z.
Version 1.0 design feedback
Over the past two weeks, people shared ideas for howversion 1.0 of the New Topic Tool designs could be improved to ensure Junior Contributors can confidently and correctly start new conversations.
We understood the feedback people had to share about version 1.0 of the New Topic Tool design as falling into two broad categories:
You can view a full summary of the feedback people shared and the plans we have for incorporating this feedback on the talk page here:Talk:Talk pages project/New topic/2020/11#h-Feedback_summary:_version_1.0_designs-2020-11-20T02:22:00.000Z.
Initial designs
The team has a design proposal ready for how the first iteration of the New Topic Tool could look and function. We would value you hearing what you think about them.
You can review the designs in the#Design section below and share the thoughts and questions they bring to mind on the talk page here:Talk:Talk pages project/New topic/2020/10#h-Request_for_feedback:_initial_designs-2020-10-29T04:04:00.000Z.
Sharing feedback byWednesday, 11-November-2020 will help us ensure what you have to say is considered as part of the prototype we will be building in the coming weeks.
Design is underway
The team is working on a few different design directions the New Topic Tool could take to meet the requirements listed below (see:New discussion#Approach). These design directions are intended to help us make the following implementation decisions:
In the next few weeks, you can expect mockups of these "different design directions" to be posted to this page along with a message on the talk page (Talk:Talk pages project/New discussion) inviting to share what you think about them.In the meantime, you can follow the work to produce these mockups by visiting this Phabricator task:T243248.
Design approach
Usability testing of existing experience
Usability testing of existing experience
This section contains questions the team would value your input on.
The team is curious to hear what you have to say about these questions on the talk page here:Talk:Talk pages project/New topic/2020/03#h-Current_ways_of_starting_new_discussion_threads-2020-03-30T23:49:00.000Z.
The improvements to the workflow for starting a new discussion thread on Wikipedia talk pages is intended to make it more intuitive forJunior Contributors to initiate conversations in ways other contributors can easily reply to and to helpSenior Contributors do the same, with less effort.
We think helping contributors start conversations more easily and with less effort will increase the likelihood these contributors receive the input and guidance they are seeking from others.
It is important to note that making it easier and more accessible for people with less experience contributing to Wikipedia to start new conversations on talk pages could cause an increase in "unproductive" behavior. Accordingly, as this new tool is deployed, we will monitor the edits people publish using it to ensure they are not disruptive to others.
This section will contain the methods and data we will use to evaluate the impact of this feature.
In the A/B test of the New Topic Tool, we sought to learn two things:
To answer the questions above, we ran an A/B test of the New Topic Tool from27 January 2022 through 25 March 2022 on20 Wikipedias. The results from this test can be found in the "Findings" section below.
Timing
This analysis was completed on 13 April 2022. The A/B test ran from 27 January 2022 through 25 March 2022.
Findings
Reports
The full A/B test reports can be found here:Logged-In New Topic AB Test Report +Logged-Out New Topic AB Test Report.
In this first analysis, we sought to learn whether people who have the New Topic Tool enabled as a beta feature are finding the tool disruptive and behaving in the ways they expect. We were also curious to begin to understand how heavily people were depending on the tool to start talk page discussions.
To determine the extent to which people were finding the tool "disruptive" and "behaving in ways they expect," we looked at the following metrics:
To begin to understand how "heavily people were depending on the tool to start talk page discussions", we looked at the following metrics:
Timing
This analysis was completed on 17 August 2021.
Conclusions and Findings
Report
You canreview the full analysis results in this Jupyter notebook.
TheEditing Team is committed to improving how contributors communicate about their work on Wikipedia, by making existing wikitext talk pages easier and more efficient to use.
A key part of the process of communicating with other contributors is starting a new topic thread. Trouble is, aspreviousresearch and theTalk Page Consultation 2019 uncovered, contributors, across experience levels, find the workflow for starting a new topic on talk pages challenging. Specifically, our research has found:
This section contains information about design strategy.
For people to be confident starting a new conversation on a talk page, we have identified four broad conditions that need to be met:
Initially, we are going to focus on improving "conditions"2.,3.,4., and5. This means, we will start by experimenting with designs that:
The "designs" in this section show the approach we are considering implementing for the first iteration of the New Topic Tool.
These designs are intended to arrive at an opinion about the following aspects of the tool's user experience:
Designs
visual mode to add a new topic topic to a Wikipedia talk page.
source mode to add a new topic topic to a Wikipedia talk page..png)
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visual mode..png)
This section will contain information about how and where the Starting a new topic tool will be deployed.
This section contains information about usability testing the team has conducted to better understand contributors' experiences starting new topics.
Test goals
The primary goals of this test were to better understand the following:
Testing method (Junior Contributors)
Two rounds of usability tests were run onusertesting.com with5 participants in each test. Participants were screened to ensure they were technically advanced web users who have used Wikipedia in some capacity before.
They were asked to start new topic topics on article and user talk pages on a prototype server via a web browser, while narrating their experience.
Findings (Junior Contributors)
Below is a summary of the test findings. More details can be found in this ticket on Phabricator:T243249.
Testing method (Senior Contributors)
Invitations for Senior Contributors to try the New Topic Tool prototype were posted onmediawiki.org as well as at theArabic,Czech andHungarian Wikipedias.
Participants were asked to share answers to the following questions:
Add topic experience: are there particular workflows you use the existingAdd topic /New section workflow for and that the prototype doesnot support?Findings (Senior Contributors)
Below is a summary of the test findings.
Test goals
The primary goals of this test were to learn:
Testing method
Four rounds of usability tests were run onusertesting.com with5 participants per test. Each participant was screened to ensure they were technically advanced web users who have used Wikipedia in some capacity before.
They were asked to start new topic topics on article and user talk pages on a prototype server via a web browser, while narrating their experience.
These test pages can be viewed here:testarticle talk page /testuser talk page.
Findings
Below is a summary of the test findings. More details can be found in this ticket on Phabricator:T239175#5723843.
Positive
Challenges
Improvements
The findings above are leading us to pursue the following improvements to help people start conversations, in ways other contributors can easily engage, with less effort:
Comments
This test highlighted an important tension many Junior Contributors seem to face:technically they finish the task they set out to complete, but do so without being confident they did itcorrectly. And if they do realize they have made a mistake, they are not equipped to fix it because the proper ways of doing so are not intuitive enough for them to understand. This tension seems to map to a larger issue that we intend to incrementally address: it is not clear to people how talk pages work. Said another way: the current implementation of talk pages lead people to hold various and often inaccurate mental models for how talk pages work.
Next steps
In response to the findings above, we are designing interventions to address the challenges the test surfaced. We will then share a cohesive design/mockup that we will ask for feedback on.
In parallel, we are inviting feedback from Senior Contributors about their experiences starting new topics on talk pages. You can review what people are saying and/or add your thoughts on the talk page:Talk:Talk pages project/New topic/2020/03#h-Current ways of starting new discussion threads-2020-03-30T23:49:00.000Z.
Many projects have, and are, working to improve contributors' experiences with talk pages. This project is better off for their existence. Some of the projects the team continues to learn from are listed on themain project page and below. If there is a project you think we should be aware of, please boldly add it here.
TheTalk pages project glossary is intended to help us all communicate about talk pages more effectively by making sure we have a shared understanding about the words we use in our discussions and documentation throughout the project.