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2018 Editorial Goals: Streamlining the Onboarding Process, Rebooting GV Japan Twitter

Categories: Goals, Newsroom, Q1
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Photo based on a public domain (CC0 1.0) image from Pixabay.

In 2018, Global Voices newsroom editors, section leaders, and other core team members will be experimenting with a new approach to our work: periodically setting detailed goals and keeping track of our progress on the Community Blog. In the following post, Japan regional editor, Nevin Thompson, presents his plans for the first part of the year. 

GOAL #1

What is your goal?
To streamline the process for onboarding, engaging Japan authors.

Why is this important, and why now?
– It takes longer for me to edit a simple piece by a newcomer than it does for me to create an in-depth long-form piece
– Recruiting and onboarding new authors is opportunistic
– The onboarding process can also be quite time-consuming on my end, since there is a large learning curve involved creating a GV article
– My approach to the process is also very ad hoc, so I need to create a scalable process

If achieved, what impact do you hope this goal will have?
– Japan contributors will be able to create stories more quickly
– Japan contributors will understand how to write stories and will be able to replicate the process
– I will do less rewriting and more actual editing

How does this goal support GV’s mission?
– Will help more people have access to the Internet to express themselves
– Will help me myself devote more time to compelling and important stories

Propose a timeline for your goal. Identify 1) how you will undertake your work at each stage. 2) what interim and final outputs you will produce.
Timeline:
– 1 month to complete a one-page guide in English outlining an easy-to-follow process
– 1-2 months to try out (depending on recruitment)

Outputs:
– A step-by-step how-to guide for writing a new Japan post
– Includes suggestions for citations, tone, places to research and story ideas

Phase 1: Create an outline, discuss with subeditors
Phase 2: Publish refined guide on either Community Blog or a similar space; have available as a Google Doc
Phase 3: Test out with a new contributor
Phase 4: Incorporate contributor feedback into guide
Phase 5: Test revised guide with another contributor

Against what specific measures will you evaluate your progress?
Besides the output of the actual documents, two trials with two contributors

GOAL #2

What is your goal?
To Reboot Global Voices Japan Twitter Account

Why is this important, and why now?
– Helps brand Global Voices (rather than just me) as an authoritative resource for underreported news about Japan
– Helps with recruiting and attracting new volunteer writers to Global Voices

If achieved, what impact do you hope this goal will have?
– Establish/build a Global Voices “brand” for Japan that is engaged with community groups and peers (other Japan reporters)
– Provide an additional way for a Japan volunteer to be engaged and to participate
Resource for everyone at Global Voices to use when contacting various community groups and peers in Japan

How does this goal support GV’s mission?
Another way to amplify marginalized voices about Japan

Propose a timeline for your goal. Identify 1) how you will undertake your work at each stage. 2) what interim and final outputs you will produce.
Timeline:
-1 month to create finished guide; Twitter activities ongoing

Outputs:
– 3X daily Twitter posts
– Twitter list of community groups; Twitter list of peers (journos etc)
– Buffer account so Twitter access can be more easily shared

Phase 1: Setup Buffer, research Twitter lists
Phase 2: Ongoing engagement
Phase 3: Regular evaluation and tracking

Against what specific measures will you evaluate your progress?
– Regular Twitter engagement
– Growth in followers, retweets and other engagement signals