Onboarding for Evolutionary Organizations: A primer for DAO contribution

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

ODIN Community

[GENERAL] Email address of main applicant

community@odin.eco

Additional applicants

Nori Nishigaya (@xeeban)

Newman S Lanier (@Newman5)

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

6

[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?

Yes

[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.” .

YES - we will collaborate with the Andamio Learning Management System (LMS) team of Gimbalabs to deliver on this proposal.

A project-based onboarding course is one of the key deliverables in this proposal. The Andamio LMS provides a ready-to-use platform that supports the outcomes of this proposal.

Additionally, we will coordinate with SWARM, Wada, and Gimbalabs for pilot testing of the learning modules.

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

Yes

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

Project will be fully open source.

YES - Technically, Open Source does not make sense for a non-software product. We will release this material under an Open Commons license so the community can freely use and adapt this material to their organization’s onboarding materials.

[METADATA] Category of proposal

Education

[METADATA] SDG rating

Goal 4 - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

4.3 - By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university

4.4 - By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship

Goal 16 - Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

16.6 - Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels

16.7 - Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels

[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.

This proposal will research, design, develop and implement a project-based learning course focused on exploring evolutionary organizational patterns and techniques, particularly those outlined by Sociocracy 3.0. The course aims to deliver a comprehensive educational experience that enables participants to understand, apply, and analyze these innovative approaches to organizational development so they are enabled to contribute to organizations and ecosystems that operate in a decentralized, people-positive, and complexity-conscious way using these principles.

The problem of onboarding members / contributors to communities can be mitigated by instruction and activities in a Project Based Learning(PBL) format. The participatory and asynchronous nature of the PBL format matches the needs of the DAO community member better than other styles of instruction.

Additionally, the proposal focuses on methodical research and documentation to create long lasting and valuable contribution to the whole ecosystem now and in the future. Our collective experiences in Project Catalyst afforded us the chance to work with new mechanisms and processes of decentralised communities. These experiences, when curated and packaged in the PBL format, are invaluable to not only new project Catalyst members but all DLT / DAO ecosystems and organisations. We want to leverage this gained experience to build this PBL course on Andamio and build an open, accessible knowledge base and experience library for the benefit of all.

About the process:

• Research and Front End Analysis
• Learning Objectives Definition
• Module Development: 2-3 months (depending on the number and complexity of modules)
• Assessment Component Creation
• Curriculum Timeline Development: 1-2 weeks
• Pilot Phase and Course Revision: 1-2 months
• Finalization and Course Launch: 2-4 weeks

About Project-Based Learning:

Project-based learning (PBL) is an educational approach that centers around students engaging in real-world projects or activities to acquire knowledge and develop skills. It emphasizes active learning, collaboration, critical thinking, and problem-solving. PBL moves away from traditional lecture-based instruction by immersing students in authentic, hands-on experiences.

About Andamio:

We will use the Andamio platform by Gimbalabs. We are excited by this collaboration and believe that there are great synergies between the Andamio platform, its technology capabilities and our objectives. This collaboration supports our roadmap and the development of both organizations. Gimbalabs is the perfect team to support us with technical development as they have a strong track record in the ecosystem and their goals are aligned with ours.

Many of the services we need are already developed by Andamio, and we will work with the Gimbalabs team to build additional functionality as we go. Then, any new features will be available to teams using Andamio in the future.  

About the Team:

ODIN: ODIN is an acronym for the Open Decentralized Innovation Network. Our vision is to empower a dynamic and collaborative community of visionary thinkers, web3 developers, high-trust communities and impact-driven organizations that operate as a decentralized network, uniting their diverse strengths and expertise towards a common purpose of catalyzing innovative ideas from conception to fruition. Together, we will cultivate a culture of continuous collaboration, fostering an environment of radical innovation and sustainable impact that positively transforms our world.

Join us: Discord: https://discord.gg/U2xSYDvsaE 

About the KSA of contributors:

This Is a support mechanism for decentralised organizations.  

Our proposal is an initiative that introduces a smart contract-based learning management system (LMS) to the Cardano ecosystem. It serves as a comprehensive DAO toolkit, providing education, certification, and fostering reputational identity through Problem-Based Learning (PBL) modules. 

Andamio aims to empower individuals and projects with sustainable governance practices, increase Cardano transaction volume, and foster collaboration among various communities. While it cannot guarantee the adoption of Cardano by new DAOs, it positions Cardano as an attractive option for decentralized governance which aims to enhance sustainable governance practices, increase transaction volume, and foster collaboration, thereby contributing to the overall growth and sustainability of the Cardano ecosystem.

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

The Challenge Brief asks:

How can we make Cardano the go-to choice for building DAOs? What tools can we provide to enable effective DAO's Creation & Operation?

The PBL learning approach, coupled with the on-chain certification of Andamio will undoubtedly inspire many individuals and projects to improve Cardano DAOs operation. People from outside of Cardano and interested in learning about evolutionary organization work, will be initiated into the Cardano ecosystem. .

• Number of Communities engaged in collaboration using Cardano DAO creation tools.
• Yes, this proposal will reach at least three communities- Wada, SWARM, and ODIN - during the design and development phase. It has the potential to reach many more inside and outside of the Cardano ecosystem.  
• Amount of ADA coming from DAOs transaction fees after the solutions on this challenge get implemented (> than the challenge's allocated fund amount)
• The course itself is a tool for Cardano based DAOs. Each participant (designer, learner and coordinator) will use a wallet and conduct transactions on Cardano.  
• Number of DAOs that use Cardano as governance/management chain in 6 months.
• For the students taking the course, Cardano will be the go-to choice for making their DAO.
• Number of DAO tool-set/frameworks available for DAO Ops (>1).
• This course and the Andamio LMS are tools available for Cardano DAOs and all community groups interested in improving DAO operations and transitioning into the evolutionary organization style.  
• Additional not yet existing tools to give Cardano a distinct advantage
• There are no Cardano smart contract-based learning management systems. The Andamio is a Cardano smart contract based tool for all communities. This proposal is a use case for that DAO tool.
• There are no Evolutionary Organization orientation courses featuring Cardano as a platform.

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

We plan to use quantitative and qualitative approaches to measure the success of our project. Numbers matter, but so does Joy and mental health.

The success of this project can be measured through:

• Number of created PBL modules 
• Number of topics covered in modules
• Number of students enrolled in the course
• Amount of contributor tokens minted
• Amount of modules completed by individuals 
• Amount of modules completed by projects / organizations
• Amount of provided feedback by projects / organizations
• Number of break-out room + session attendees
• Number of graduates of the course participating and contributing to Cardano projects and organizations
• Number of graduates creating new DAOs using Cardano governance tokens or Cardano DAO creation tools
• Number of incentivized governance contributors

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

We will release created material under an Open Commons license so the community can freely use and adapt this material to their organization’s onboarding materials.

Furthermore we provide monthly reports through the IOG Catalyst Milestone reports.

Our intention and hope is that the project becomes a foundational tool for DAOs onboarding process. For example, DAOs would encourage and support new members participating in the Evolutionary Organizations PBL Course.

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

This Proposal is a collaboration across several projects which are highly engaged and committed at Project Catalyst since the earliest funding cycles which have built serious capacity for addressing the challenges of this proposal. 

Groups engaged in this proposal are; ODIN, Gimbalabs, WADA & SWARM

Through our engagement with Project Catalyst and other decentralized communities, we gained crucial understanding, experience and expertise on how to build decentralized communities and ecosystems. 

Our gained knowledge, expertise and capacity over the past years in this ecosystem makes it very likely that we are able to deliver on the proposals successful implementation, if not we wouldn't propose :)

Our proposal has a monthly budget for accounting and has an agreement with the Treasury Guild to manage the income and disbursements to project contributors

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

Our high level goals:

• To unleashed DAOs and community groups to do amazing things
• To prepare contributors to DAOs to innovate in the area of governance and organizational patterns
• To fully document a use case of Andamio Learning Management System (LMS)
• To facilitate wider and better community participation in the Cardano projects

Our specific objectives:

• To conduct research into the Sociocracy 3.0 (S3), Project Based Learning (PBL) and Andamio from the lens of Cardano community participation
• To design and develop a PBL course in Andamio around S3 patterns
• To promote these concepts and tools to expand and improve the cardano DAO community
• To evaluate our activities to validate and improve our intended outcomes
• To build and share documentation of our experiences and gained knowledge for the community benefit

[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: Research & Learning Objectives Definition

• Project kickoff,team formation and accounts setups 
• Conduct comprehensive research on evolutionary organizational patterns and techniques, including an in-depth study of Sociocracy 3.0 principles and methodologies.
• Review relevant literature, case studies, and resources to gain a solid understanding of the topic.
• Research community needs and pain points.
• Analyze existing solutions in the market to understand their strengths and weaknesses.
• Listening to community stakeholders (Learners, teachers, administrators) to understand their requirements for onboarding.
• Establish baseline metrics
• Clearly define the scope topics for lessons/activities (What is and What is not covered in the course)
• Clearly define the specific student learning targets to be achieved through the course, including understanding the core concepts of Sociocracy 3.0, exploring practical implementation strategies, and analyzing real-world organizational case studies.

Milestone #2: Project-based Learning Module Development

• Break down the course content into modules, which consist of Student Learning Targets and related aspects of evolutionary organizational patterns and techniques.
• Develop engaging and interactive Open Source learning materials, presentations, exercises, readings, workshops and resources for dedicated Student Learning Targets or modules
• Gather feedback and improve Student Learning Targets & Module design and processes

Milestone #3: Assessment Component Creation, Curriculum Timeline Development, Pilot Phase and Course Revision

• Design assessment components aligned with the learning objectives, such as quizzes, assignments, group projects, or practical exercises. These are called Mastery Assignments in the Anadamio framework.
• Create clear evaluation criteria to effectively assess participants' understanding and application of the course material.
• Establish a comprehensive timeline for the course, specifying the duration of each module and the estimated time required for participants to complete assessments.
• Ensure the timeline allows for a balanced and paced learning experience.
• Conduct a pilot phase of the course with a small group of participants to gather feedback on the content and delivery.
• Incorporate participant feedback and make necessary revisions to enhance the course materials and improve the learning experience.
• Publically offer the course and related research.
• Hold workshops/after-town hall break-out rooms
• Onboard projects and support them to complete at least 1 module each
• Support and gather feedback from module users.

Milestone #4: Course Launch

• Finalize the course content, including refining materials, creating supporting resources, and ensuring consistency.
• Prepare the course platform, marketing materials, and enrollment process for the official launch.
• Open up contributions from students in the Governance phase to create or update modules with incentivized bounties

Milestone #5: Finalization and Project Closeout

• Perform a Retrospective on the proposal
• Seek feedback from students and the community on the effectiveness of the PBL models
• Create a close-out video and report
• Add all generated artifacts to the website / GitBook
• Develop and implement a plan for ongoing improvement and support.
• Celebrate!

Roadmap

• Milestone 1: Research & Learning Objectives Definition - One month
• Milestone 2: PBL Module Development - One month
• Milestone 3: Assessment Component Creation, Curriculum Timeline Development, Pilot Phase and Course Revision - Two months 
• Milestone 4: Course Launch - One month
• Milestone 5: Finalization and Project Closeout - One month

6 months total

Starting on November 2023 and ending April 2024

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

Deliverables

1. Milestone 1: Research & Learning Objectives Definition
2. Project charter
3. Comprehensive Research documentation
4. A list of the Student Learning Targets 
5. Milestone 2: PBL Module Development
6. Design feedback document to the Andamio group
7. Course outline with final Module, Student Learning Targets, and S3 concepts to be covered in the course.
8. Complete Module materials ready for implementation
9. Milestone 3: Assessment Component Creation, Curriculum Timeline Development, Pilot Phase and Course Revision
10. A Mastery Assignment for each Module
11. Suggested timeline for the course participants
12. A publicly available course ready for public test
13. Workshops to announce and discuss the course and research
14. Instruments to collect feedback and insights
15. Documentation and analysis of the feedback
16. Milestone 4: Course Launch
17. Public launch ready course
18. Student and Coordinator handbooks (supporting resources)
19. A marketing campaign to include social media posts and advertisement 
20. Milestone 5: Finalization and Project Closeout
21. Publicly accessible documentation, reflecting the gained knowledge and providing easy access to achieved and gathered outcomes
22. All documentation summarized in Project Catalyst close out report and video
23. An S3 based Retrospective Presentation from all stakeholder

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

Research and Content Familiarization:

₳10,000

Learning Objectives Definition:

₳5,000

Module Development: (3 Andamio PBL modules)

₳37,500

Assessment Component Creation:

₳15,000

Curriculum Timeline Development:

₳5,000

Pilot Phase and Course Revision:

₳12,500

Course Launch:

₳26,500

Finalization and Project Closeout:

₳12,500

Miscellaneous costs

Treasury Guild (6 months * ₳2750)

₳16,500

buffer for price drops

₳10,000

Project Tools (Miroboard, Zoom, Buffer, etc)

₳3,500

Total   

₳154,000

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

This project delivers exceptional value for money. By making a reasonable investment, we ensure that new members entering the Cardano ecosystem are welcomed and equipped for success. This strengthens Cardano communities and safeguards against past mistakes.

Through this project, we generate valuable outcomes and knowledge that will be widely shared and sustained over time. The value of onboarding and empowering community groups using Cardano DAO tooling as a foundation cannot be overstated. We have partnered with prominent Cardano community groups to provide them with access to our comprehensive course materials and project resources.

By practicing and exposing the S3 community governance patterns for Cardano project teams, we foster a vibrant and innovative community. This investment is crucial for sustainable, creative, and innovative organizational community practices, increased transaction volume, and enhanced collaboration among diverse communities. It positions Cardano as an enticing option for evolutionary organizations.

Overall, the our project offers substantial value to the Cardano ecosystem by testing the Andamio, adding evolutionary organization patterns to the DAO toolkit. This type of education is not able in the Cardano ecosystem, yet. It is a strategic investment that has the potential to greatly enhance the growth, resilience, and performance of the Cardano ecosystem.

[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