CatalystBridge: Accessibility for Catalyst Governance

[Proposal setup] Proposal title

Please provide your proposal title

CatalystBridge: Accessibility for Catalyst Governance

[Proposal Summary] Budget Information

Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA

30000

[Proposal Summary] Time

Please specify how many months you expect your project to last

6

[Proposal Summary] Translation Information

Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated

No

Original Language

en

[Proposal Summary] Problem Statement

What is the problem you want to solve?

Project Catalyst platforms often lack accessibility for impaired users, limiting their participation and creating barriers to achieving inclusive, diverse decision-making in decentralized systems.

[Proposal Summary] Supporting Documentation

Supporting links

• https://github.com/miyevu
,
• https://pantry-pal-topaz-nine.vercel.app/

[Proposal Summary] Project Dependencies

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

No

Describe any dependencies or write 'No dependencies'

No dependencies

[Proposal Summary] Project Open Source

Will your project's outputs be fully open source?

Yes

License and Additional Information

This project will be released under the MIT License, allowing anyone to use, modify, and distribute the code freely, provided the original copyright notice is included.

[Theme Selection] Theme

Please choose the most relevant theme and tag related to the outcomes of your proposal

Governance

[Campaign Category] Category Questions

Mention your open source license and describe your open source license rationale.

**License: **MIT License

Rationale:

• Permissive license allowing broad use, modification, and distribution.
• Encourages community contributions and innovation.
• Compatible with commercial and community projects.
• Aligns with Cardano’s values of openness and decentralization.

How do you make sure your source code is accessible to the public from project start, and people are informed?

• A public GitHub repository will be created at project start.
• Version control and regular, quality commits will ensure transparency.
• Documentation and changelogs will track progress clearly.
• Updates will be shared in Cardano Town Halls, Discord, and forums to keep the community informed.

How will you provide high quality documentation?

• Provide user-friendly guides (README, setup instructions, tutorials, FAQs).
• Deliver developer-focused docs (API references, contribution guide) in Markdown.
• Use clear structure with examples, visuals, and accessibility notes.
• Host documentation on GitHub with version control, ensuring updates align with releases.

[Your Project and Solution] Solution

Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem

CatalystBridge is an AI-powered browser extension designed to make governance platforms more accessible to users with impairments. By providing features like voice navigation, AI-driven proposal summaries, screen reader support, and cognitive-friendly voting, it creates a seamless, inclusive experience for those with visual, cognitive, hearing, or motor impairments.

This solution addresses the barrier to participation that many impaired users face in decentralized governance. Unlike existing tools, CatalystBridge works as an adaptive layer on top of existing platforms, requiring no changes to the platforms themselves. It’s an open-source, user-controlled solution that ensures all voices can be heard and all users can participate independently and confidently.

The project will engage impaired users, Cardano community members, and governance participants. Its impact will be measured through user adoption, feedback, and increased diversity in governance participation. By providing easy, real-time access to governance tools, CatalystBridge fosters inclusivity and strengthens Cardano’s decentralized ecosystem. This is crucial for ensuring that Cardano remains a truly democratic and inclusive platform for global decision-making.

[Your Project and Solution] Impact

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

The CatalystBridge project will have a significant and transformative impact on the wider Cardano community by enabling inclusive participation in governance for individuals with impairments. This will directly contribute to Cardano's goals of decentralization, fairness, and diverse global representation. By removing accessibility barriers, CatalystBridge ensures that every voice in the Cardano ecosystem — regardless of physical or cognitive ability — can be heard, fostering a more equitable decision-making process.

Impact on the Cardano Community:

Increased Participation: The extension will make governance platforms accessible to a broader demographic, including visually impaired, hearing-impaired, motor-impaired, and neurodivergent individuals. This will lead to greater engagement in voting, proposal evaluation, and discussions.

Diversity in Governance: With accessibility features in place, underrepresented communities will be empowered to contribute to the decision-making process. This will increase the diversity of perspectives and enrich Cardano’s decentralized governance, making it more representative of a global audience.

Strengthened Decentralization: A truly decentralized system requires diverse voices to be active participants. By removing participation barriers, CatalystBridge will promote fairer, more democratic decision-making in Cardano’s governance.

Cardano’s Reputation for Inclusivity: Cardano is committed to inclusivity, and CatalystBridge will enhance its reputation as a platform that prioritizes accessibility, setting it apart as a leader in both technological and social responsibility within the blockchain space.

Measuring Impact:

1. Quantitative Metrics:

Adoption Rate: We will track the number of installs and active users of the CatalystBridge extension. A high adoption rate will demonstrate demand and indicate that the tool is serving its intended audience.

Voting Engagement: We will monitor how the tool influences voting behaviors by tracking the number of impaired users who participate in governance rounds and compare this with historical voting data.

Feature Usage: Metrics on specific features, such as the AI-driven proposal summary and voice navigation, will help measure how often users rely on accessibility tools.

1. Qualitative Metrics:

User Feedback: After usability testing, we will collect qualitative data through surveys and interviews with impaired users to understand their experiences. This will include satisfaction with the tool, areas of improvement, and how it has impacted their ability to participate in governance.

Community Sentiment: We will assess feedback from the wider Cardano community on platforms like Discord, Twitter, and Reddit, where accessibility discussions are happening, to measure how well CatalystBridge is being received.

Sharing Outputs and Opportunities:

1. Transparent Reporting:

Public GitHub Repository: The project will be fully open-source, and all code, documentation, and updates will be publicly available. The GitHub repo will be the primary platform for sharing progress, technical updates, and encouraging community contributions.

Community Demos and Feedback: Regular demo sessions will be held in Cardano Town Halls and Discord channels to showcase progress, gather feedback, and promote wider adoption of the tool.

Usage Reports: We will publish detailed usage reports and impact analyses, sharing both quantitative data (number of users, voting engagement) and qualitative feedback (user stories, improvements) with the Cardano community and governance platforms.

1. Community Engagement:

We will work closely with accessibility-focused organizations, SPOs, and Cardano ambassadors to promote the extension, gather feedback, and ensure the tool meets the community’s needs.

Workshops and Tutorials: We will offer training sessions and tutorials for users, developers, and community members, demonstrating how to use CatalystBridge and encouraging its integration into everyday governance activities.

1. Collaboration and Open Source Contribution:

The project will be designed to be collaborative, allowing Cardano developers and the wider ecosystem to contribute and adapt the code. Open discussions around improvements and feature requests will be hosted on platforms like GitHub Discussions and Cardano forums.

The extension will also be expandable, meaning future proposals can easily integrate additional accessibility features or work on other Cardano dApps, further increasing its impact across the ecosystem.

[Your Project and Solution] Capabilities & 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 has the capability to deliver CatalystBridge with high levels of trust, accountability, and transparency. We bring together expertise in software development, accessibility design, and community engagement, ensuring that all aspects of the project from technical build to inclusive testing are covered. Feasibility will be validated through co-design workshops with impaired users, pilot testing with at least 30 participants, and professional accessibility audits against WCAG 2.1 AA standards. These steps ensure that the solution meets both technical requirements and the real needs of users.

To maintain accountability, all development will be open-source, with code published on GitHub from the start and updated regularly with version control. Project progress will be shared openly through milestone reports, Cardano Town Halls, and GitHub updates, giving the community clear visibility of outputs. Funds will be managed responsibly, tied to milestones with clear deliverables before progressing to the next phase. A contingency fund has also been budgeted to address unforeseen challenges without overspending. With technical expertise, community connections, and a proven open-source, milestone-based approach, our team is best suited to deliver CatalystBridge successfully.

[Milestones] Project Milestones

Milestone Title

Research & Co-Design

Milestone Outputs

• A comprehensive accessibility requirements document will be created, covering the needs of users with visual, hearing, motor, and cognitive impairments.
• UX/UI wireframes and design mockups will be co-designed with impaired users through workshops and surveys to ensure user-centered design.
• A structured feedback report will summarize insights from Cardano governance participants and impaired users to guide development.

Acceptance Criteria

• At least 20 impaired users must be engaged across different impairment categories through workshops, surveys, or interviews.
• The accessibility requirements document must align with WCAG 2.1 AA standards for inclusivity.
• Wireframes must be validated as usable and accessible by at least 70% of consulted participants.

Evidence of Completion

• Publication of the accessibility requirements document in a public repository such as GitHub.
• Workshop recordings, survey responses, and feedback reports compiled into a structured document.
• Finalized UX/UI wireframes uploaded to GitHub or another open-access collaborative platform.

Delivery Month

1

Cost

5000

Progress

30 %

Milestone Title

Core Features Development

Milestone Outputs

• A functional CatalystBridge browser extension with foundational features: voice navigation, screen reader support, and AI-driven proposal summarization.
• A prototype of a cognitive-friendly voting interface designed to reduce decision fatigue and improve clarity.
• A technical documentation package (installation guide, code architecture notes)

Acceptance Criteria

• Extension must be installable on Chrome and Firefox without errors.
• Voice navigation and screen reader support must pass accessibility test scripts with impaired users.
• AI proposal summaries must be rated as “clear and useful” by at least 70% of pilot participants.

Evidence of Completion

• GitHub repository with source code and full documentation.
• A demo video showcasing voice commands, AI summaries.
• Internal test reports with early user evaluation results.

Delivery Month

3

Cost

12000

Progress

50 %

Milestone Title

Testing & Iteration

Milestone Outputs

• A beta release of CatalystBridge improved through structured usability testing with impaired users and governance participants.
• A usability testing report highlighting accessibility strengths, weaknesses, and proposed improvements.
• Resolved bugs and refined features, enhancing stability, accessibility, and responsiveness.

Acceptance Criteria

• At least 30 impaired users engaged in pilot testing, representing different accessibility needs.
• At least 80% of testers confirm improved accessibility compared to the unmodified Catalyst platform.
• A minimum of 90% of critical bugs identified during testing resolved before public launch.

Evidence of Completion

• A published usability report with compliance scores and accessibility benchmarks.
• Survey summaries, interviews, and user feedback shared openly with the community.
• A beta version released on GitHub with a transparent changelog.

Delivery Month

5

Cost

8000

Progress

80 %

Milestone Title

Launch & Adoption

Milestone Outputs

• The public release of CatalystBridge v1.0, published on Chrome Web Store and Firefox Add-ons.
• Onboarding resources: written guides, video tutorials, FAQs, and accessibility notes.
• Community outreach activities: workshops, presentations, and adoption dashboard tracking downloads and usage.

Acceptance Criteria

• CatalystBridge available for download on both Chrome and Firefox extension stores.
• Tutorials and guides published on community platforms (GitHub, Discord, Cardano forums).
• Achieve minimum 100 downloads in the first month of launch, with evidence of impaired users adopting the tool for governance participation.

Evidence of Completion

• Verified live download links to Chrome and Firefox stores.
• Documentation and tutorials published in multiple formats (text, video, accessible formats).
• Adoption analytics dashboard published, with user metrics and testimonials.
• Final closeout report is publicly available
• Final closeout video is publicly available

Delivery Month

6

Cost

5000

Progress

100 %

[Final Pitch] Budget & Costs

Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources

Milestone 1: Research & Co-Design (4,500 ADA)

Work & Resources:

• Developer setup of GitHub repository, technical planning, and initial prototyping – 2,000 ADA
• Accessibility advisor consultations and research facilitation with impaired users – 2,000 ADA
• UX/UI designer for co-design wireframes and mockups – 1,000 ADA

Milestone 2: Core Development (11,500 ADA)

• Backend developer (AI summarization, API integration) – 5,000 ADA
• Front-end developer (extension coding, Chrome/Firefox builds) – 4,000 ADA
• Accessibility features (voice navigation, screen reader support) – 1,500 ADA
• Developer tools & hosting (GitHub, cloud services) – 1,000 ADA

Milestone 3: Testing & Iteration (7,500 ADA)

Usability testing with 30+ impaired users (stipends, logistics) – 2,500 ADA

Accessibility audits (WCAG 2.1 AA compliance services) – 2,000 ADA

Developer debugging, refinements & optimization – 2,000 ADA

Community reporting (test report, Town Halls, GitHub updates) – 1,000 ADA

Milestone 4: Launch & Adoption (4,500 ADA)

• Developer: final release build & compliance fixes – 1,500 ADA
• Documentation & onboarding materials (guides, tutorials, video walkthroughs) – 1,500 ADA
• Community engagement & promotion (workshops, forums, adoption dashboard) – 1,500 ADA

Contingency Fund (2,000 ADA)

Purpose: Covers unforeseen expenses such as additional accessibility audits, extended user testing, or technical fixes required for Chrome/Firefox publishing.

Management: Used only if necessary to protect delivery; any unused contingency will be reported back to the community and either reallocated to outreach or transparently returned.

Third-Party Products & Services

• Design Tools: Figma/Adobe XD for wireframes & UI mockups.
• Repository & Hosting: GitHub for open-source code and collaboration.
• Accessibility Audits: Professional WCAG compliance testing.
• Publishing Fees: Chrome Web Store and Firefox Add-ons.

[Final Pitch] Value for Money

How does the cost of the project represent value for the Cardano ecosystem?

CatalystBridge provides a cost-effective way to remove accessibility barriers in Project Catalyst governance. With a budget of 30,000 ADA, the project delivers a fully functional, AI-powered browser extension that supports voice navigation, screen reader integration, and cognitive-friendly voting.

Roughly 50% of funds are allocated directly to skilled developer work, with the remainder covering accessibility audits, user testing stipends, documentation, and community engagement. These costs are in line with average freelance developer and accessibility consulting rates in Ghana and internationally, ensuring fair but efficient use of funds.

By being released as open-source under the MIT license, CatalystBridge ensures that its outputs are reusable across the Cardano ecosystem, lowering future costs and allowing other developers to expand on the work. For a modest investment, the project brings long-term value by increasing participation, diversity, and inclusivity in Cardano governance, reinforcing the ecosystem’s position as a leader in democratic and accessible blockchain decision-making.

[Required Acknowledgements] Consent & Confirmation

Terms and Conditions:

Yes