Building Development Team

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Mike Chandler

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

Entity (Incorporated)

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

4

[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)

Train 4 current developers on the Cardano ecosystem.

[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

We will be training developers on all current tracks and any contracts we make in the process will be open source.

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution

To effectively train four new developers on the Cardano ecosystem, you'll want to design a comprehensive training plan that covers both theoretical knowledge and practical skills. Here's a structured approach you might consider:

1. Introduction to Blockchain Basics

• Objective: Understand fundamental blockchain concepts.
• Topics: Decentralization, consensus mechanisms, blockchain types, smart contracts.
• Resources:
• Books like "Mastering Blockchain" by Imran Bashir.
• Online courses such as "Blockchain Basics" from Coursera.

1. Understanding Cardano

• Objective: Gain specific knowledge about the Cardano blockchain.
• Topics: Cardano's architecture, Ouroboros consensus algorithm, ADA token, staking, and governance.
• Resources:
• Cardano's official website and documentation.
• Articles and videos by IOHK and Charles Hoskinson.

1. Development Tools and Languages

• Objective: Learn the tools and programming languages used in Cardano development.
• Topics: Introduction to Haskell and Plutus, Cardano Node, Daedalus and Yoroi wallets, Cardano CLI.
• Resources:
• "Haskell Programming from First Principles" by Christopher Allen and Julie Moronuki.
• Plutus Pioneer Program by IOHK.

1. Building on Cardano

• Objective: Apply knowledge to build smart contracts and DApps on Cardano.
• Topics: Writing and deploying smart contracts in Plutus, interacting with Cardano's blockchain, using testnets.
• Resources:
• GitHub repositories of existing Cardano projects.
• Cardano Developers Portal.

1. Hands-On Projects

• Objective: Implement knowledge in real-world scenarios.
• Topics: Develop a small project or contribute to an open-source Cardano project.
• Resources:
• Internally managed development projects.
• Contribution to community projects or issues on platforms like GitHub.

1. Community and Continued Learning

• Objective: Engage with the Cardano community and continue learning.
• Topics: Participate in forums, webinars, and conferences.
• Resources:
• Cardano Forum, Cardano Reddit, and local meetups.
• Annual Cardano Summit and other blockchain events.

Additional Tips

• Mentorship: Pair each new developer with an experienced mentor who can guide them through complex topics and provide real-world insights.
• Regular Reviews: Set up weekly meetings to discuss progress, challenges, and next steps in the learning process.
• Certifications and Badges: Encourage developers to earn certifications or digital badges as they progress, which can help in motivating them and validating their skills.

This structured plan, supplemented with real-world experience and active community engagement, will help your new developers become proficient in the Cardano ecosystem.

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

The positive impact of your project on the wider Cardano community can be defined across several dimensions:

1. Enhanced Developer Engagement and Growth

• Training and Education: By training new developers, your project contributes to increasing the technical capacity within the Cardano ecosystem. More skilled developers can lead to more innovative applications and solutions developed on Cardano.
• Resource Creation: As these developers learn and grow, they often create or improve documentation, tools, and resources that make it easier for future developers to join and build on Cardano.

1. Ecosystem Expansion

• Diverse Applications: With more developers trained specifically on Cardano, the variety and sophistication of decentralized applications (DApps) on the platform can increase. This helps in attracting a broader user base, which is crucial for network growth and health.
• Strategic Partnerships: Increased activity and development can attract partnerships from other technological and financial sectors, further integrating Cardano into wider business and consumer contexts.

1. Community Strengthening

• Active Participation: Your project encourages active participation in the Cardano community through forums, webinars, and conferences. This can enhance community cohesion and provide a platform for sharing ideas and best practices.
• Mentorship Programs: Initiating or enhancing mentorship programs within the community not only helps new entrants but also strengthens the bonds among community members, fostering a supportive environment.

1. Innovation and Research

• R&D Contributions: The developers could contribute to research and development efforts that push the boundaries of what's possible with blockchain technology, particularly in terms of scalability, sustainability, and security — all key focuses of Cardano.

1. Economic Impact

• Job Creation: As the ecosystem grows, so does the need for more developers, project managers, community organizers, and support staff. This job creation has a direct positive economic impact.
• Financial Inclusion: By developing applications that can solve real-world problems, especially in underserved regions, your project can play a role in promoting financial inclusion.

1. Enhanced Reputation and Trust

• Quality Assurance: Well-trained developers tend to produce more robust and secure applications, enhancing the overall reputation and trust in the Cardano ecosystem as a reliable and secure platform for both developers and users.

1. Scalability and Performance Improvements

• Optimization: Developers well-versed in Cardano's unique architecture and smart contract capabilities can optimize existing applications and infrastructure, improving scalability and performance.

By addressing these areas, your project not only contributes to the growth and sustainability of the Cardano ecosystem but also helps in realizing its vision of creating a more secure, transparent, and equitable global financial system.

[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?

1. Team Expertise and Experience

• Key Personnel: Leverage the expertise of individuals like Henil S, Viraj, and Mike Chandler, who have extensive experience in blockchain development and the Cardano ecosystem.
• Continuous Training: Commit to ongoing training and development for your team to keep up with the latest technologies and best practices in blockchain development.

2. Structured Project Management

• Agile Methodology: Implement agile project management techniques, which allow for iterative development and frequent reassessment of project deliverables and timelines.
• Regular Reporting: Establish a routine of regular reporting and accountability checks. This could include sprint reviews, progress updates to stakeholders, and transparent communication channels.

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

Milestone 1: Foundational Knowledge Acquisition

• Objective: Equip developers with comprehensive knowledge of blockchain technology and the specifics of the Cardano ecosystem.
• Activities: Complete a series of educational modules covering blockchain basics, Cardano's architecture, consensus mechanism, and the Plutus programming language.
• Completion Criteria: Pass a written assessment or complete practical tasks that demonstrate understanding of the foundational concepts.

Milestone 2: Development Environment Setup and Basic Coding

• Objective: Establish a robust development environment for each developer and introduce basic Plutus coding.
• Activities: Set up Cardano nodes, install necessary software like the Plutus Playground, and begin simple coding exercises to familiarize with syntax and basic functions.
• Completion Criteria: Successfully set up a personal development environment and demonstrate the ability to write and test simple smart contracts.

Milestone 3: Advanced Smart Contract Development

• Objective: Advance the developers' skills in writing complex smart contracts using Plutus.
• Activities: Engage in deeper learning of Plutus capabilities, start developing more complex smart contracts, and handle various types of transactions and state management.
• Completion Criteria: Develop and deploy a moderately complex smart contract on the Cardano testnet that incorporates handling of multiple conditions and state changes.

Milestone 4: Hands-On Project on NFT Development

• Objective: Apply learned skills to create a programmable NFT, integrating complex functionalities as specified in the project goals.
• Activities: Design the NFT's structure and functionality, code the necessary smart contracts, test extensively in the Plutus Playground, and then deploy on the testnet.
• Completion Criteria: Successfully develop and test a programmable NFT with intended features functioning correctly on the testnet.

Milestone 5: Project Review and Real-World Application

• Objective: Review the NFT project thoroughly and prepare the developers for real-world applications of their skills.
• Activities: Conduct a comprehensive review of the NFT project, gather feedback, refine the project, and prepare a final presentation or documentation for potential real-world deployment.
• Completion Criteria: Deliver a detailed presentation of the NFT project, receive constructive feedback, and finalize the project ready for a live environment on the Cardano blockchain.

• Final Project Completion: Developers finalize all aspects of the programmable NFT project, ensuring it is fully functional and ready for deployment. This includes optimizing code, ensuring compliance with security standards, and integrating user feedback from earlier tests.
• Preparation of Presentation: Prepare a detailed presentation of the project, highlighting the problem solved, technologies used, challenges faced, and the innovative aspects of the NFT. This should also include a live demonstration of the NFT’s functionalities.
• Documentation: Complete comprehensive documentation of the project, including code documentation, user manuals, and deployment guides. This will aid in future development and maintenance.
• Knowledge Assessment: Conduct a formal assessment that includes both a written test and a practical exam. This will cover all major areas of the training, including blockchain basics, Cardano-specific knowledge, smart contract development, and project-specific learning.

Completion Criteria:

• Project Presentation: Successfully present the project to an audience that may include peers, senior developers, and stakeholders. The presentation should clearly communicate the project's scope, technical details, and its potential impact.
• Project Approval: Receive approval from the senior development team or stakeholders, confirming that the project meets all technical requirements and is ready for real-world application.
• Pass Knowledge Assessment: Achieve a predetermined score on the knowledge assessment to demonstrate a deep understanding of all training content and the ability to apply this knowledge effectively.
• Feedback Integration: Show capability in integrating feedback from the presentation and assessment into the final project revision, demonstrating both technical proficiency and adaptability.

Follow-up Actions:

• Deployment Plan: Based on the feedback and outcomes of the final presentation, develop a plan for deploying the NFT into a live environment.
• Continuous Learning Path: Establish a continuous learning and development path for each developer, including advanced courses on Cardano development, participation in blockchain workshops, and regular involvement in community projects to refine skills and stay updated with industry trends.

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

Mike Chandler Founder of the development team and future development company.

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

1. Introduction to Blockchain Basics

• Estimated Duration: 20 hours (Basic blockchain principles, key concepts, and understanding decentralization.)

2. Understanding Cardano

• Estimated Duration: 30 hours (Studying Cardano’s architecture, consensus algorithm, and unique features.)

3. Development Tools and Languages

• Estimated Duration: 40 hours (Learning Haskell and Plutus basics, familiarization with development environments and tools.)

4. Building on Cardano

• Estimated Duration: 50 hours (Hands-on development of smart contracts and DApps, testing and deployment on testnets.)

5. Hands-On Projects

• Estimated Duration: 60 hours (Developing a project or contributing to an existing one, practical application of learned skills.)

6. Community and Continued Learning

• Estimated Duration: 20 hours (Engaging with the community through forums, webinars, and possibly attending events.)

Total Estimated Duration

Adding these components together gives:

20+30+40+50+60+20=220 hours per developer

20+30+40+50+60+20=220 hours per developer

For four developers, assuming some overlap in training sessions but also individual learning and project time, the total might scale a bit but not linearly. The training involves collaborative learning and individual study/projects:

Scaling for Four Developers

• Group Learning Time: Some aspects like blockchain basics and Cardano understanding can be taught in group sessions, reducing individual time requirements.
• Individual Project Time: Hands-on projects will likely require full individual time allocations per developer.

Assuming an efficiency increase due to group sessions, the total time for four developers could be estimated by considering group sessions for about 50% of the total time and individual sessions/projects for the remaining 50%. This gives an estimate as follows:

(220×0.5)+(220×4×0.5)=110+440=550 hours

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

Assessing the value for money of your project in the context of the Cardano ecosystem involves considering several key factors that demonstrate the benefits relative to the cost. Here's how your project, particularly in training developers and creating a programmable NFT, provides substantial value:

1. Enhancing Ecosystem Capabilities

• Skill Development: By investing in the training of developers specifically for Cardano, you are directly contributing to the growth of the ecosystem’s technical capability. More skilled developers mean more sophisticated and diverse applications can be built on the platform, driving its adoption and usability.
• Innovation: The project’s focus on a programmable NFT introduces innovative technology that can lead to new types of applications and use cases for NFTs within Cardano, potentially increasing the blockchain’s market relevance and attracting new users and developers.

1. Driving Adoption and Usage

• Increased Transactions: Successful deployment of new applications, like the programmable NFT, can lead to increased transactions on the Cardano network, which helps in network validation and generates transaction fees, thereby supporting the network’s economic model.
• Attracting New Users: By creating user-friendly and innovative blockchain applications, the project helps in attracting non-traditional users to the Cardano platform, broadening the user base and enhancing network effects.

1. Community Growth and Engagement

• Community Training and Education: Part of the project’s costs goes into creating educational resources and community engagement activities. This not only helps in training the four developers but also benefits the broader Cardano community by providing accessible learning materials and fostering a collaborative environment.
• Feedback Mechanisms: The project’s iterative approach, including community feedback and open testing phases, encourages active participation from the community, which can improve the quality and user-focus of developed applications.

1. Long-term Sustainability

• Infrastructure Development: Training developers and creating new applications contribute to building a sustainable infrastructure for the Cardano ecosystem, which can support more complex and larger-scale projects in the future.
• Replicability: The learnings and outcomes from this project, such as best practices in NFT development and training methodologies, can be replicated by other projects within the ecosystem, multiplying the benefits from the initial investment.

1. Strategic Alignment with Ecosystem Goals

• Alignment with Cardano’s Vision: Cardano aims to provide a more secure, transparent, and sustainable blockchain environment. This project aligns with these goals by emphasizing robust development practices, innovative application of blockchain technology, and community involvement.

1. Cost Efficiency

• Leveraging Existing Resources: Utilizing existing Cardano tools, platforms, and community knowledge helps in reducing the overall cost of the project while maximizing output. The focus on open-source development and community-driven projects also helps in cost-sharing and resource optimization.

Conclusion

The cost of training developers and developing a programmable NFT represents value for money by directly contributing to the technical enhancement, adoption, and long-term sustainability of the Cardano ecosystem. These investments not only prepare the ground for immediate innovations like the NFT project but also establish a foundation for ongoing growth and development within the ecosystem.