Transforming CRM with Cardano: A Blockchain Approach to Customer Identity

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Houssem BENMAHMOUD

[GENERAL] Email address of main applicant

houssem.benmahmoud01@gmail.com

Additional applicants

N/A

[GENERAL] Please specify how many months you expect your project to last (from 2-12 months)

12

[GENERAL] Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated into English from another language.

No

[GENERAL] Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?

No

[GENERAL] If YES, please describe what the dependency is and why you believe it is essential for your project’s delivery. If NO, please write “No dependencies.” .

No dependencies.

[GENERAL] Will your project’s output/s be fully open source?

No

[GENERAL] If NO, please describe which outputs are not going to be open source. If YES, please write “Project will be fully open source.”

In the proposed project, certain outputs and components may not be open source or shared publicly. While the majority of the codebase and technical documentation may be proprietary, there are certain aspects that could be kept confidential for competitive or strategic reasons. These non-open source outputs may include:

1. Customized Integrations: If there are specific integrations or customizations developed for Salesforce and Cardano, the code or configurations related to those integrations may not be open source.
2. Encryption and Security Mechanisms: Certain encryption algorithms, security mechanisms, or proprietary protocols implemented to ensure the privacy and security of customer data may not be open source.
3. Internal Tools and Infrastructure: Tools, frameworks, or internal infrastructure developed to support the project's implementation may not be open source.

It's important to note that even though specific outputs may not be open source, the project can still adhere to the principles of transparency and accountability by sharing high-level overviews, documentation, and relevant information that does not compromise proprietary elements. This allows for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and engagement with the broader community while maintaining the necessary confidentiality and strategic advantage for the project.

[METADATA] Category of proposal

Other

[METADATA] SDG rating

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure - The project leverages blockchain technology to enhance customer identity management within CRM systems, promoting innovation in the business sector.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions - By enabling secure and privacy-respecting customer identity management, the project contributes to data protection and privacy rights, fostering a more just and trustworthy digital ecosystem.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals - The project involves collaboration between the Cardano ecosystem, Salesforce, and other stakeholders to drive the adoption of blockchain technology for sustainable and inclusive business practices.

[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.

The problem we aim to solve is the challenge of managing customer identity in a secure, private, and customer-controlled manner within CRM systems. Traditional CRM platforms often struggle with data privacy and security, and they don't provide customers with sufficient control over their personal data. This not only affects customer trust but also poses compliance issues for businesses in light of data protection regulations.

Our proposed solution is a unique integration of Salesforce, a leading CRM platform, with Cardano's Atala PRISM, a decentralized identity solution. We believe that the blockchain technology underlying Cardano provides an ideal solution to the issues faced by traditional CRM systems. It offers enhanced security, transparency, and control over personal data, making it a perfect tool for managing customer identities.

In this context, the customers we refer to are the end-users of businesses that use Salesforce for their CRM needs. These could be individuals who interact with businesses across various sectors such as retail, finance, healthcare, and more. Our solution will allow these individuals to create and manage their identities on the Cardano blockchain. These identities will be secure, private, and fully controlled by the customers themselves.

Businesses using Salesforce will be able to verify and interact with these identities, enabling them to manage customer relationships in a more secure and privacy-respecting manner. This not only enhances customer trust but also improves businesses' ability to comply with data protection regulations.

Our approach is unique in that it leverages the strengths of both CRM and blockchain technology. It combines the customer relationship management capabilities of Salesforce with the security, privacy, and control provided by Cardano's blockchain. This not only enhances the functionality of CRM systems but also paves the way for the mass adoption of blockchain technology in the business world.

Our project will engage a wide range of stakeholders, including businesses using Salesforce, end-users managing their identities on the Cardano blockchain, and the broader Cardano community. We will demonstrate our impact by developing a proof of concept, conducting a pilot, and working towards a commercial launch. We will also measure our impact through key metrics such as the number of businesses and end-users using our solution, the level of customer control over personal data, and the compliance of businesses with data protection regulations.

This project is important to Cardano as it aligns with its vision of providing secure, decentralized solutions for real-world problems. It leverages Cardano's strengths in identity management and blockchain security, and it contributes to the mass adoption of blockchain technology. By enhancing the functionality of CRM systems, our project also adds value to Cardano's ecosystem and its stakeholders.

[IMPACT] How does your proposed solution address the challenge and what benefits will this bring to the Cardano ecosystem?

Our proposed solution directly addresses the challenge by integrating Salesforce, a leading CRM platform, with Cardano's Atala PRISM, a decentralized identity solution. This integration will solve the business coordination and stakeholder challenge by providing a secure, private, and customer-controlled solution for managing customer identities. It will also make the technology more compatible and user-friendly, promoting the mass adoption of blockchain technology.

The benefits to the Cardano ecosystem are manifold:

• Increased Adoption: By integrating with Salesforce, one of the world's leading CRM platforms, our project will expose a large number of businesses and individuals to Cardano and its capabilities. This could significantly increase the adoption of Cardano.

• Enhanced Functionality: Our project will add a new functionality to Cardano – decentralized customer identity management. This will enhance the utility of Cardano and make it more attractive to businesses and developers.

• Improved Security and Privacy: By leveraging Cardano's blockchain for customer identity management, our project will provide enhanced security and privacy. This will increase trust in Cardano and its applications.

• Community Growth: Our project will engage a wide range of stakeholders, including businesses, end-users, and the broader Cardano community. This will strengthen the community and foster collaboration and innovation.

• Real-World Use Case: Our project will provide a real-world use case for Cardano, demonstrating its practical value and potential. This will increase Cardano's credibility and attractiveness to potential adopters.

In terms of impact, we believe our project can attract a significant number of businesses and end-users to Cardano. Given Salesforce's large user base, even a small percentage of businesses adopting our solution could translate into a substantial increase in Cardano's user base. Furthermore, by enhancing the functionality and utility of Cardano, our project could stimulate more innovation and development in the Cardano ecosystem, further strengthening its growth and impact.

[IMPACT] How do you intend to measure the success of your project?

The success of our project will be measured through a combination of quantitative and qualitative metrics that align with our project's objectives and the benefits it aims to bring to the Cardano ecosystem.

1. Adoption Rate: The number of businesses integrating our solution into their Salesforce CRM systems and the number of customers creating and managing their identities on the Cardano blockchain. This will be a direct measure of our project's adoption and its contribution to the growth of the Cardano ecosystem.
2. Customer Satisfaction: User feedback and reviews from both businesses and customers. This will provide qualitative insights into the effectiveness and user-friendliness of our solution, and how well it meets their needs for secure, private, and customer-controlled identity management.
3. Data Privacy and Security Compliance: The level of compliance of businesses using our solution with data protection regulations. This will be a measure of our solution's impact on improving businesses' data privacy and security practices.
4. Community Engagement: The level of engagement and collaboration within our project's stakeholder community, including the number of active participants in our working group and the frequency and quality of their contributions.
5. Progress Towards Milestones: The progress we make towards our project's milestones, including the completion of the Atala PRISM Pioneer Program, the development of a proof of concept, and the launch of a commercial product. This will be a measure of our project's execution and its progress towards its goals.

In the short term, our project will enhance Cardano's functionality and utility, attract new users to the ecosystem, and stimulate community engagement and collaboration. In the long term, it will contribute to the mass adoption of Cardano, strengthen its reputation as a secure and privacy-respecting blockchain, and pave the way for more innovations and developments in the ecosystem.

[IMPACT] Please describe your plans to share the outputs and results of your project?

Our plan to share the outputs and results of our project involves a multi-faceted approach:

1. Community Updates: We plan to regularly update the Cardano community on our progress through blog posts, forum updates, and social media. This will include updates on our progress towards milestones, insights from our work, and opportunities for community members to get involved.
2. Public Reports: We will publish reports on our findings and the results of our project. This will include a detailed analysis of our solution's impact on businesses and customers, as well as insights into the challenges and opportunities of integrating CRM systems with blockchain technology.
3. Webinars and Workshops: We will host webinars and workshops to share our knowledge and experiences with the broader community. This will provide an opportunity for stakeholders to learn more about our project and its implications for the future of CRM and blockchain technology.
4. Partnerships: We will actively seek partnerships with businesses, industry associations, and other relevant organizations. Through these partnerships, we will share our solution and its benefits, and explore opportunities for collaboration and further development.
5. Open Source Contributions: We plan to make our code and technical documentation available as open-source resources. This will allow other developers to learn from our work, contribute to our project, and potentially build upon our solution.

The results generated from the project will be used to further refine and enhance our solution, based on user feedback and our own observations. We also plan to explore additional applications of our solution in other areas, such as supply chain management, healthcare, and finance. The insights gained from our project will also inform our future research and development activities, particularly in the area of blockchain integration with business systems.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability?

Our project team has a strong capability to deliver this project with high levels of trust and accountability, as demonstrated by our existing skills, experience, and processes:

1. Relevant Skills and Experience: The main proposer, Houssem, is a Certified Salesforce Consultant and an Atala PRISM Pioneer, with 5 years of experience as a Sales Engineer and CRM key User within different international companies. This gives him a deep understanding of both Salesforce and Atala PRISM, as well as the broader CRM and blockchain landscapes. He also has experience in project management, which will be crucial for coordinating the project and ensuring its successful delivery.
2. Strong Partnership: We have a partnership with PeakSoft GmbH, a software development company specialized in Software Quality Assurance and Blockchain Development. They bring technical expertise in blockchain development and Salesforce integration, as well as experience in delivering complex software projects. Importantly, PeakSoft GmbH also has team members who are Plutus and Atala PRISM pioneers, which further strengthens their understanding of the Cardano ecosystem and their ability to deliver on this project.
3. Proven Processes: We will use proven project management methodologies to plan, execute, and control our project. This includes defining clear roles and responsibilities, setting realistic milestones and success criteria, conducting regular project reviews, and maintaining open and transparent communication with all stakeholders.
4. Financial Management: We have a clear and detailed budget for our project, and we are committed to managing these funds responsibly. We will track our expenditure against our budget, conduct regular financial reviews, and provide transparent reporting to the Cardano community. We are also prepared to undergo 'proof of life' verifications and other checks to ensure that funds are being used appropriately.
5. Commitment to the Cardano Ecosystem: As Atala PRISM Pioneers, the main proposer and our partners at PeakSoft GmbH have a strong commitment to the Cardano ecosystem. This project aligns with their vision of leveraging blockchain technology to solve real-world problems and contribute to the mass adoption of blockchain technology.

In summary, we believe that our team's skills, experience, partnerships, processes, and commitment to the Cardano ecosystem make us well-suited to deliver this project with high levels of trust and accountability.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] What are the main goals for the project and how will you validate if your approach is feasible?

Our project has several main goals:

1. Develop a Secure, Private, and Customer-Controlled Identity Management Solution: Our primary goal is to develop a solution that allows customers to create and manage their identities on the Cardano blockchain, and businesses to verify and interact with these identities through Salesforce. We will validate this goal by developing a proof of concept and conducting rigorous testing to ensure the solution meets our security, privacy, and user control requirements.
2. Integrate Salesforce with Cardano's Atala PRISM: We aim to seamlessly integrate Salesforce, a leading CRM platform, with Cardano's Atala PRISM, a decentralized identity solution. The feasibility of this integration will be validated through successful implementation in our proof of concept, and subsequent testing to ensure seamless interoperability.
3. Promote the Adoption of Our Solution: Our goal is to ensure that our solution is adopted by businesses using Salesforce and customers managing their identities on the Cardano blockchain. We will track the number of businesses and customers using our solution and their satisfaction levels to validate this goal.
4. Contribute to the Mass Adoption of Blockchain Technology: We aim to contribute to the mass adoption of blockchain technology by demonstrating its practical value in managing customer identities. The growth in the number of businesses and customers using our solution and the feedback we receive from the broader Cardano community will serve as validation for this goal.

Our approach to achieving these goals is based on a rigorous software development process. This includes:

• Requirements Analysis: We will start by clearly defining the requirements of our solution, including its functionality, performance, security, and usability requirements.
• Design: We will design our solution based on these requirements, ensuring that it is architecturally sound and can be effectively integrated with Salesforce and Cardano's Atala PRISM.
• Implementation: We will implement our design using best practices in software development and blockchain technology. Our partnership with PeakSoft GmbH will be invaluable in this phase.
• Testing: We will conduct rigorous testing of our solution to ensure it meets our requirements and is free of bugs. This will include unit testing, integration testing, system testing, and acceptance testing.
• Deployment: We will deploy our solution and monitor its performance and usage to ensure it is delivering the expected benefits to businesses and customers.
• Feedback and Iteration: We will continuously seek feedback from our users and the broader Cardano community, and use this feedback to iteratively improve our solution.

By following this process, we can ensure that our project is technically sound, meets the needs of our users, and contributes to the growth and success of the Cardano ecosystem.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed breakdown of your project’s milestones and each of the main tasks or activities to reach the milestone plus the expected timeline for the delivery.

Milestone 1: Project Kickoff and Stakeholder Engagement (Month 1)

Tasks:

• Establish the project team and define roles and responsibilities.
• Identify key stakeholders, including businesses using Salesforce, end-users, and the broader Cardano community.
• Conduct initial stakeholder meetings to gather input and build support for the project.

Success Criteria:

• Successful formation of the project team with clearly defined roles and responsibilities.
• Identification of key stakeholders and successful initial meetings conducted.

Milestone 2: Requirements Analysis and Design (Month 2-3)

Tasks:

• Define the requirements of our solution, including its functionality, performance, security, and usability requirements.
• Design our solution based on these requirements, ensuring that it can be effectively integrated with Salesforce and Cardano's Atala PRISM.
• Validate the design with stakeholders and incorporate their feedback.

Success Criteria:

• Completion of a detailed requirements document and design specification.
• Positive feedback from stakeholders on the proposed design.

Milestone 3: Development of Proof of Concept (Month 4-7)

Tasks:

• Implement the design to develop a proof of concept.
• Conduct unit testing and integration testing to ensure the proof of concept meets our requirements and is free of bugs.
• Demonstrate the proof of concept to stakeholders and gather their feedback.

Success Criteria:

• Successful development and demonstration of a working proof of concept.
• Positive feedback from stakeholders and successful passing of initial tests.

Milestone 4: Development of Pilot Solution (Month 8-10)

Tasks:

• Refine the proof of concept based on feedback and learnings from the Pioneer Program and Governance Framework workshop to develop a pilot solution.
• Conduct system testing and acceptance testing to ensure the pilot solution meets our requirements and is ready for deployment.
• Deploy the pilot solution with a select group of businesses and customers.

Success Criteria:

• Successful development and deployment of the pilot solution.
• Positive feedback from pilot users and successful passing of system and acceptance tests.

Milestone 5: Evaluation and Refinement (Month 11)

Tasks:

• Monitor the performance and usage of the pilot solution and gather feedback from users.
• Refine the pilot solution based on this feedback and our own observations.
• Prepare for the commercial launch of our solution.

Success Criteria:

• Successful collection of user feedback and performance data.
• Successful refinement of the pilot solution based on feedback and observations.

Milestone 6: Commercial Launch and Project Closure (Month 12)

Tasks:

• Launch our solution commercially and promote it to businesses and customers.
• Monitor the performance and usage of our solution and address any issues that arise.
• Conduct a project review to evaluate the project's success and identify lessons learned for future projects.

Success Criteria:

• Successful commercial launch of our solution.
• Positive feedback from users and successful resolution of any launch issues.
• Successful completion of the project review and identification of lessons learned.

Our project management approach will be based on Agile principles, allowing for flexibility and iterative development. We will have regular team meetings to monitor progress, address issues, and make decisions. We will also engage regularly with our stakeholders to keep them informed and involved in our project.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] Please describe the deliverables, outputs and intended outcomes of each milestone.

Milestone 1: Project Kickoff and Stakeholder Engagement

Deliverables:

• Project plan
• List of identified stakeholders
• Meeting minutes

Intended Outcomes:

• A well-defined project plan and a fully formed project team.
• Identification of key stakeholders and initial engagement to gather input and build support for the project.

Milestone 2: Requirements Analysis and Design

Deliverables:

• Requirements document
• Design specification

Intended Outcomes:

• A clear understanding of the solution's requirements and a detailed design that can be effectively integrated with Salesforce and Cardano's Atala PRISM.

Milestone 3: Development of Proof of Concept

Deliverables:

• Proof of concept
• Testing reports

Intended Outcomes:

• A working proof of concept that meets our requirements and is free of bugs.
• Initial validation of the solution's feasibility and effectiveness.

Milestone 4: Development of Pilot Solution

Deliverables:

• Pilot solution
• Testing reports
• Deployment plan

Intended Outcomes:

• A refined solution ready for pilot deployment.
• Validation of the solution's readiness for wider deployment.

Milestone 5: Evaluation and Refinement

Deliverables:

• User feedback reports
• Performance data
• Refined solution

Intended Outcomes:

• Valuable insights into the solution's performance and user satisfaction.
• A refined solution ready for commercial launch.

Milestone 6: Commercial Launch and Project Closure

Deliverables:

• Launched solution
• Launch report
• Project review report

Intended Outcomes:

• A commercially launched solution that is being used by businesses and customers.
• A completed project that has achieved its goals and provided valuable lessons for future projects.

To track our project's progress, we will measure key metrics such as the number of businesses and customers using our solution, the level of customer control over personal data, and the compliance of businesses with data protection regulations. We will also track our progress towards our project's milestones and the feedback we receive from our stakeholders. We will measure these metrics through a combination of data analysis, user feedback, and regular project reviews.

[RESOURCES & VALUE FOR MONEY] Please provide a detailed budget breakdown of the proposed work and resources.

Project Management (40k ADA):

This includes the cost of managing the project, coordinating with stakeholders, and reporting back to the community. Our project manager will be responsible for these tasks.

Technical Development (120k ADA):

This is the cost of developing our solution, including the proof of concept, pilot solution, and final product. This will be done by our technical team, with support from our partner, PeakSoft GmbH.

Testing and Quality Assurance (40k ADA):

This includes the cost of conducting rigorous testing to ensure our solution meets our requirements and is free of bugs. This will also be done by our technical team and PeakSoft GmbH.

Community Engagement and Marketing (30k ADA): This includes the cost of promoting our solution to businesses and customers, engaging with the Cardano community, and gathering feedback. This will be done by our marketing and community engagement team.

Documentation (20k ADA):

This is the cost of producing detailed documentation for our solution, including requirements documents, design specifications, user manuals, and project reports. This will be done by our technical team and project manager.

[RESOURCES & VALUE FOR MONEY] How does the cost of the project represent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem?

The cost of our project, at 250k ADA, represents significant value for money for the Cardano ecosystem for several reasons:

1. High Potential Impact: Our project aims to address a critical issue in customer relationship management (CRM) - the management of customer identity in a secure, private, and customer-controlled manne
2. Expert Team: Our project team consists of a Certified Salesforce Consultant and a partnership with PeakSoft GmbH, a software development company specialized in Software Quality Assurance and Blockchain Developmen
3. Detailed Project Plan: We have developed a detailed project plan with clear milestones, tasks, and success criteri
4. Competitive Pricing: The cost of our project is competitive when compared to the average wage in our country and typical freelance rates in our industr
5. Transparency and Accountability: We are committed to transparency and accountability in the use of fund

In summary, we believe that our project represents excellent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem. It offers the potential for high impact at a competitive cost, executed by an expert team with a detailed project plan, and with a strong commitment to transparency and accountability.

[IMPORTANT NOTE] The Applicant agreed to Fund10 rules and also that data in the Submission Form and other data provided by the project team during the course of the project will be publicly available.

I Accept