Gamify Marketplace for Enhanced Cardano Ecosystem Engagement

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Chadi Nassar

[GENERAL] Are you delivering this project as an individual or as an entity (whether formally incorporated or not)

Entity (Not Incorporated)

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

9

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

No

[GENERAL] Summarize your solution to the problem (200-character limit including spaces)

An open sourced system that can implement gamified elements like badges, leaderboards, rewards to boost marketplace engagement and participation and so increase Cardano's reach by attracting new users

[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?

Yes

[GENERAL] Please provide here more information on the open source status of your project outputs

The project, including all developed features that are done within this budget, will be fully open source using the MIT open source framework, complementing Plutus.Art's open-source approach.

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution.

Our solution integrates game mechanics into the Cardano marketplaces to stimulate user engagement. We plan on developing a system to include badges for trading activity, competitive leaderboards, and rewards for contributions, leveraging psychological principles for increased participation and community building. We also want to further the system by expanding into other systems of gamification that will come to light through market research.

[IMPACT] Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community.

Our project will enhance user engagement and participation, resulting in a more active marketplaces. Success will be measured by increased user transactions, new user sign-ups, and positive community feedback as well as the increased engagement in the Cardano NFT ecosystem.

[CAPABILITY & FEASIBILITY] What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability? How do you intend to validate if your approach is feasible?

Our team includes experienced blockchain developers and designers, capable of implementing gamification features effectively. We will validate our approach by monitoring engagement metrics and user feedback.

[Project Milestones] What are the key milestones you need to achieve in order to complete your project successfully?

Design and conceptualization of gamification features.

• Objective: To design and define core gamification features for integration into the Cardano marketplace.
• Activities: Analyzing marketplace dynamics, brainstorming gamification strategies (badges, leaderboards, reward systems), creating design prototypes.
• Output: Comprehensive design document and prototypes.
• Acceptance Criteria: Approval of design document and prototypes ready for development.

This milestone focuses on the initial stages of the project where the team will brainstorm and define the core gamification features to be integrated into the Cardano marketplace. This involves a detailed analysis of the current marketplace dynamics and user behavior to identify the most effective gamification strategies, such as badges, leaderboards, and reward systems. The team will collaborate to create a design prototype that visually represents how these features will be implemented. Key activities include user experience (UX) design, interface layout, and the formulation of reward mechanisms that align with user engagement goals. The outcome of this milestone will be a comprehensive design document and a set of prototypes ready for development.

Development and testing of gamified elements.

• Objective: To code and integrate the gamification elements into the marketplace.
• Activities: Back-end development for the rewards system, front-end development for user interface, functional and usability testing.
• Output: Integrated gamification features ready for initial user testing.
• Acceptance Criteria: Seamless operation of features and positive initial testing results.

During this phase, the focus will shift to turning the conceptual designs into functional features within the marketplace. The development team will work on coding and integrating the gamification elements into the existing marketplace framework. This process will involve back-end development for the implementation of the rewards system and front-end development for the user interface. Rigorous testing procedures, including both functional and usability testing, will be conducted to ensure that the gamified elements operate seamlessly and enhance the user experience. The milestone will be marked by the successful integration of these features and their readiness for initial user testing.

Soft launch and user feedback collection

• Objective: To test gamification features in a real-world environment and collect user feedback.
• Activities: Implementing a soft launch with selected users, monitoring engagement metrics, collecting qualitative feedback.
• Output: User feedback report and insights for refinement.
• Acceptance Criteria: Positive user feedback and actionable insights for optimization.

The third milestone is centered around the soft launch of the gamified marketplace. This phase serves as a real-world test environment where a select group of users will interact with the new features. The objective is to gather feedback on the usability, appeal, and effectiveness of the gamification elements. User engagement metrics will be closely monitored to assess the impact of these features. Feedback collected during this phase will be crucial for refining and optimizing the gamification elements. The team will analyze user interactions, collect qualitative feedback, and prepare for any necessary adjustments.

Full feature deployment and marketing.

• Objective: To launch gamification features to all users and execute a marketing campaign.
• Activities: Incorporating feedback from Milestone 3, launching full-scale features, conducting online marketing and community outreach.
• Output: Increased user engagement and adoption of features.
• Acceptance Criteria: Higher user adoption rates and increased marketplace activity.

This milestone represents the full-scale launch of the gamified marketplace features to all users. Prior to this, the team will incorporate any refinements based on feedback from the soft launch. A comprehensive marketing campaign will be executed to promote the new features to the wider Cardano community. This will include online marketing, community outreach, and potentially partnerships with influencers in the blockchain space. The goal is to maximize user engagement and attract new users to the platform. Success in this milestone will be measured by user adoption rates and increased activity on the marketplace.

Evaluation of impact and detailed reporting.

• Objective: To assess the impact of gamification on the marketplace.
• Activities: Analyzing KPIs (user retention, transaction increase), preparing a detailed impact report.
• Output: Comprehensive impact report including user testimonials and case studies.
• Acceptance Criteria: Achievement of targeted KPIs and positive user satisfaction levels.

In this phase, the team will evaluate the overall impact of the gamification features on the marketplace. Key performance indicators (KPIs), such as user retention rates, increase in transactions, and user satisfaction levels, will be analyzed. The team will prepare a detailed report that outlines the successes, challenges, and learnings from the implementation of the gamification elements. This report will also include user testimonials and case studies to provide a comprehensive overview of the project's outcomes. The insights gained will be crucial for understanding the project's effectiveness and for planning future enhancements.

Comprehensive project review and potential for scalability.

• Objective: To conduct a full project review and assess scalability potential.
• Activities: Reviewing project adherence to timelines and budget, planning future enhancements, assessing scalability within the Cardano ecosystem.
• Output: Final project report with future roadmap and scalability plans.
• Acceptance Criteria: Successful project completion as per initial goals and a clear plan for future scalability and enhancements.

The final milestone involves a thorough review of the entire project. This includes evaluating the project's adherence to timelines, budget, and objectives. The team will assess the scalability potential of the gamification features, exploring how these can be expanded or adapted for other applications within the Cardano ecosystem. Plans for future enhancements, based on user feedback and technological advancements, will be outlined. The final report will encapsulate the entire project lifecycle, providing a roadmap for future initiatives and highlighting the project's contribution to the growth and sustainability of the Cardano ecosystem.

[RESOURCES] Who is in the project team and what are their roles?

Chadi Nassar (Project Manager),

Stale (Lead Developer),

Nic (Marketing Lead)

All 3 are also co-founders of the Plutus.Art marketplace.

We will also be recruiting and onboading the following positions:

1) UX/UI design

2) Full Stack Developer

3) Game theory expert

[BUDGET & COSTS] Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources.

Based on our milestones here is a budget breakdown, with allocation of the total requested funds of 200,000 ADA across each milestone:

Milestone 1: Design and Conceptualization of Gamification Features

• Total Budget Allocation: 40,000 ADA
• Breakdown:
• UI/UX Design and Prototyping: 12,000 ADA
• Backend Development: 10,000 ADA
• Frontend Development: 10,000 ADA
• Integration and System Testing: 8,000 ADA

Milestone 2: Development and Testing of Gamified Elements

• Total Budget Allocation: 60,000 ADA
• Breakdown:
• Backend Development: 20,000 ADA
• Frontend Development: 20,000 ADA
• Testing & QA: 20,000 ADA

Milestone 3: Soft Launch and User Feedback Collection

• Total Budget Allocation: 30,000 ADA
• Breakdown:
• User Testing and Feedback Collection: 15,000 ADA
• Feedback Analysis and Reporting: 10,000 ADA
• Bug Fixing and Optimization: 5,000 ADA

Milestone 4: Full Feature Deployment and Marketing

• Total Budget Allocation: 50,000 ADA
• Breakdown:
• Digital Marketing Campaigns: 15,000 ADA
• Promotional Material: 13,000 ADA
• Community Engagement: 12,000 ADA
• Marketing Tools and Software Licenses: 10,000 ADA

Milestone 5: Evaluation of Impact and Detailed Reporting

• Total Budget Allocation: 10,000 ADA
• Breakdown:
• Impact Analysis and Reporting: 5,000 ADA
• Data Analysis Tools and Software: 3,000 ADA
• Miscellaneous Overheads: 2,000 ADA

Final Milestone: Comprehensive Project Review and Potential for Scalability

• Total Budget Allocation: 10,000 ADA
• Breakdown:
• Project Review and Reporting: 5,000 ADA
• Scalability Assessment: 3,000 ADA
• Future Planning and Roadmap Development: 2,000 ADA

Total Budget Breakdown:

• Design & Development: 62,000 ADA
• Testing & QA: 45,000 ADA
• Marketing & User Acquisition: 50,000 ADA
• Project Management & Reporting: 43,000 ADA

This allocation aims to distribute the funds effectively across different phases of the project, ensuring each milestone has the necessary resources for successful completion.

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

The cost of the "Gamify Marketplace for Enhanced Cardano Ecosystem Engagement" project, amounting to 200,000 ADA, represents significant value for money for the Cardano ecosystem for several reasons:

1. Strategic Investment in Engagement and Development: The allocation of 62,000 ADA towards design and development is a strategic investment. This funding is essential for creating engaging gamification features, which are expected to significantly increase user engagement and retention in the Cardano marketplaces. This benefits not only the immediate platform (Plutus.Art) but also adds value to the entire ecosystem by attracting more users and enhancing the economic activity.
2. Quality Assurance and User-Centric Focus: Allocating 45,000 ADA for testing and quality assurance ensures the delivery of a high-quality, user-friendly product. This investment is crucial for the early detection and resolution of issues, leading to a stable and reliable marketplace, thus boosting user trust and satisfaction within the Cardano community.
3. Effective Marketing and Community Engagement: The 50,000 ADA budgeted for marketing and user acquisition is vital for ensuring wide reach and adoption of the project. Effective marketing strategies are key to introducing both existing and new users to the ecosystem, thus expanding the Cardano community and enhancing its market presence.
4. Efficient Project Management and Reporting: With 43,000 ADA allocated for project management and reporting, the project ensures timely delivery, adherence to scope, and efficient use of resources. Effective project management guarantees accountability and transparency to the community stakeholders.

Regarding the Cost Justification:

1. Market Rates Alignment: The labor rates for developers, designers, and project managers are set in line with current market rates in the blockchain and software development industries. Rates for professionals like developers and designers are in accordance with typical freelance rates, which vary from 100 to 250 ADA/hour, based on the complexity and specialization required.
2. Geographical Cost Considerations: Considering the global composition of the project team, the budget accounts for the diverse geographical locations of the talent pool. This approach ensures access to varied skills and experiences, crucial for developing a universally appealing product.
3. Long-Term Ecosystem Benefits: The outputs of the project provide long-term value to the Cardano ecosystem. The open-source nature of the project outputs ensures that the developed features can be adapted and reused, offering ongoing benefits beyond the project's completion.

In summary, the allocated budget is meticulously planned to ensure that each ADA spent contributes directly to enhancing user experience, growing the user base, and ensuring the sustainability of the Cardano ecosystem, thereby representing significant value for money.

[IMPORTANT NOTE] The Applicant agrees to Fund 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