Animators chat conference 12 July (13:00 GMT)

From IFIwatchnet Wiki

  Animators chat conference 12th of July (13:00 GMT)

Summary Notes

Attending: David Hoffman, Karen Showalter, Arturo Gonzalez, Pieter Jansen, Zoe Young, Inés Campanella and Romilio Hernández

Unable to attend: Moreblessings Chidaushe

Appointments:

1. Recruitment process updates

- The final draft on recruiting is already prepared and posted on the wiki. Also, there is a wide set of tentative names and thematic areas to start recruiting. But we have little advance in this field. There is consensus on opening it up and see what comes. Hence, recruiting process should be reinvigorated ASAP. It is not only a task for the steering committee but for all of us.

- In this sense, it was discussed how specific (or general) animation issues and themes should be (example: is it appropriate to recruit animator who would be only focusing on Tbilisi Water Supply Rehab project? would it result in biased content?). The resolution is to encourage all kind of posting, no matter its specificity. Though we’ll have to act if this turns to be problematic. But let’s see first what we get.

- ACTION POINT: Romil to contact Joy Chavez for a follow up, and approach Red Constantino of Greenpeace

- ACTION POINT: Bankwatch to do outreach to groups in the former URSS, and promote the use of current web tools such as campaign in a box. There is interest also in translating the IFIwn navigations menus into Russian. Updates on this matter will be posted at the wiki.

- We discussed the "usefulness of RSS to make ifiwatchnet a lean mean self-updating machine. one concern though is that do we think member groups have the capacity for such tech development." This generated discussion about the usefulness of putting a lot of effort into recruiting more animators now if IFIwn is heading in a direction of greater technical integration, which led into....

2. Website news

- RSS FEEDS: Ernesto is working in placing inbound feeds into IFIwn, as discussed in Colonia. This news was enthusiastically welcomed :)

- Essex researchers: There is a scheduled meeting in September between Steffen Boehm and Tom Glaisyer to discuss the terms of the analysis of IFIwn that Steffen will be carrying on. Prior to that meeting we should have a group discussion on what to suggest for this research, including technical and social issues and reaching out to members to help them understand ifiwn and see what they want from - and can realistically offer to - it. ACTION POINT: Ines as network facilitator will help Item, animators and steering committee decide how to relate to the researchers and participate in shaping study. (nb the TOR for an early ifiwn evaluation can be see here

- Ernesto and Magela are exploring web 2.0 facilities to be integrated into ifiwn (del.icio.us, digger, rss feeds inbound and outbound) On the other hand, ITEM are trying to make IFIwn more attractive to users. Issues were raised about the comfort of using the upload forms, and usability of categories/keywords.

- The blog on IMF Leadership process is running! Peter Chowla of BWP has been pushing this forward effectively, but it has not so far reached the profile of http://www.worldbankpresident.org WB President], probably because of the scandal attached to the WB issue. Animators are encouraged to contribute to this blog, and promote it.

- New rotative banners: blog on IMF Leadership Selection Process, WB campaign, Citizen’s guide to European’s complaint mechanisms.

- Arturo is now monitoring the bug list, which had been an issue lately.

- ACTION POINT: Arturo to send around weekly a brief summary including this kind of website’s updates to the animators list, on a Monday so we all start the week reminded about IFIwn, aware of its latest developments and potential : )

3. Financial sustainability

- At the last SG meeting a new Subcommittee on Sustainability was established including Magela, Tom, Joy, and Jeff. Agreement in 2006 to form such a committee bore no fruit so the new group was tasked in the Colonia meeting to report within 6 months (that is, by October) on plans and prospects for sustaining ifiwn through member contributions, selling advertising space to selected services etc. Zoe has made contact with some potentially interested independent book publishers in the UK.

- Ford Foundation has renewed funds for the following fiscal year, that’s july 2007-july 2008. Budget is posted in the SA for consultations. (Some additional news: IFIw.tv currently has zero budget remaining, but has two funding applications under consideration - Zoe will update on progress.)

- Arturo's comment sums up much of the discussion: "How the new technologies relate and could enhance the new model is really important to attract people to the site and make it a reference for IFI-related matters. If that works as planned, then sustainability will be easier."

4. Marketing materials

- Texts for marketing materials are on the wiki. Everyone is invited to edit and correct them! Zoe and Peter Chowla have already added some suggestions. We’ll wait some prudential time until we have the final agreed version to design them. (PROPOSED ACTION POINT: can we pin down a deadline for these to be ready in time for the 'fall meetings' of the world bank and imf?)