Frontend Architecture Working Group

Mission

The Frontend Architecture Working Group (FAWG) is established to perform research and planning to explore the recommendations made within the Frontend architecture priorities, findings and recommendations report. This report documents some of Wikimedia's most pressing frontend challenges and it specifically lays out five opportunities for which the working group will evaluate, develop requirements, generate solutions, identify risks, plan contingencies in order to produce well-scoped projects proposals.

Presentation and results

The FAWG explored the Platform Evolution recommendation for developing a user interface using modern frontend tooling.

The result of this exploration was the Presentation by the Frontend Architecture Working Group on the results the committee's collaboration, delivered in December 2019.

Following this, a project was selected to do the first experiment with Vue.js, the Desktop Improvements Project. In this project, the Web and Platform Teams are collaborating to build a Vue.js search box. Along side this are multiple efforts in the Product Department and within WMDE to build out our Vue.js knowledge. This included several staff attending VueConf, internal Vue.js staff training, research into porting Visual Editor and collaborating on a Vue.js component library.

Other recommendations from the Platform Evolution report, as well as further architectural changes required for modernizing our front end will be driven by the Wikimedia Architecture Team in collaboration with client teams.

Establishment and rationale

The working group was established as a direct result of the Frontend architecture priorities, findings and recommendations report that was developed based on the work performed within the Platform Evolution Program over the past 2 years.

Scope and process

The working group has a mandate to produce outputs as explained within the Scope of work.

In order develop these, we have established a Process which outlines how the working group works together and the logistics of how people participate in the group.

Current exploration

The current (and first) project of the working group is to select and integrate an open source industry standard frontend JavaScript framework. The full description of this problem is being developed by members of the working group.

Current members

Members rotate for each project as noted in the process above. The current members of the working group are:

Brandon Black, Technology
Daniel Kinzler, Technology
Eric Gardner, Product
Moriel Schottlender, Product
Pablo Grass, WMDE
Roan Kattouw, Product
Santhosh Thottingal, Product
Timo Tijhof, Technology

Consulted associates

Volker Eckl, Product (Design)

Sponsorship, leadership and facilitation

Sponsorship

The Frontend Architecture Working Group is commissioned by, and its activities are co-sponsored by:

Erika Bjune, Chief Technology Officer WMF
Toby Negrin, Chief Product Officer WMF
Franziska Heine, Head of Software & Development WMDE

Product leadership

Product leadership and guidance for the working group are co-lead by:

Jon Katz, Director of Product Management, Product WMF
Danny Horn, Director of Product Management, Product WMF

They ensure that the efforts of the working group are aligned with product plans and are directed towards delivering value for our users.

Engineering leadership and accountability

The Working Group administration and management are co-lead by:

Adam Baso, Director of Engineering, Product WMF
Corey Floyd, Director of Engineering, Core Platform WMF
Leszek Manicki, Engineering Manager WMDE

They are responsible for establishing the working group, informing the executive sponsors of progress, and working with managers and other leaders to select working group members. They are accountable to the executive sponsors for the deliverables of the working group and ensuring that the activities of the working group are in line with both the Medium Term and Annual Plans, as well as the goals of our departments and organizations.

Facilitation and guidance

The following people will facilitate and guide the working group throughout the process and work with the members day to day.

Facilitator: Kate Chapman
Systems Architecture Advice and Support: Diana Montalion, Mentrix Group

Schedule

Due	Task	Status
2019-07-30	Draft report	Done
2019-08-09	Executive review of report	Done
2019-08-22	Initial working group logistics planning begins	Done
2019-08-30	Select working group members	Done
2019-09-18	Full Working Group Kick-off	Done
2019-12-19	Recommendations made for Vue.js	Done
2020-1-30	Select project cross functional team	Done
2020-3-30	Teams being working on project	Done

Updates

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