Barriers to Entry = Proposals

The idea behind this proposal is that the barriers that hold us back can be reframed as problem statements at the core of new Catalyst proposals. By openly discussing barriers to entry, we make space to form new relationships, to elucidate problem statements, and for new proposals to emerge. The results of this process will vary: some people will discover that they have an exciting proposal to write, others will gain the confidence to be Community Advisors, and others will find teams in need of their unique contributions.

At the root of this proposal is my belief that there will never be "one right way" to onboard people to Catalyst. I am befuddled by one of the Guiding Questions for this challenge: "How can we provide a central source of constantly updated information in different formats(text, video, p2p)?" How quickly we seek to re-centralize, even as the work of decentralizing is in its infancy! The entire purpose of distributed, decentralized systems is that there are many onramps and access points for engagement. We should celebrate this, and continuously experiment in expanding the patchwork of solutions over time.

So while I am thrilled to see the ongoing development of documentation and asynchronous resources that support people to understand and eventually to engage in the Catalyst process, I also know that no matter how perfect the documentation gets, some people won't read it. No matter how clearly the host of Catalyst Town Hall shares the instructions for how to participate, some people will need to hear it differently. This is a feature of democracy, not a bug.

Many people still need to talk through their ideas, ask questions in a smaller setting than Town Hall, and begin to feel the sense of community that is essential to Catalyst. Many people remain "lurkers" because they are yet to recognize the value of what they can contribute - I know what this feels like, because I remained a Cardano lurker for much longer than I should have.

I am proposing to pilot weekly "Catalyst Skeptics Workshops". If funded, over the next two Catalyst rounds, I will host these sessions for newcomers to Catalyst who need to talk about warts before they're ready to talk about potential. I worked for 11 years as a high school Algebra teacher - I know how to channel negative vibes into curiosity and engagement.

In addition to the immediate outcomes of this work, I will share the results of these workshops with the intention of creating a template that other people can use.

--- Definitions of success ---

• 3 months: a minimum of 12 "Catalyst Skeptics" will join in each of the next two Catalyst funding rounds (we are preliminarily targeting Funds 7 and 8, and will adjust if necessary according to revised Catalyst timelines). Skeptics will define barriers to entry in Catalyst, and through weekly meetups and asynchronous support, will be invited to craft solutions to the problems they identify.
• 6 months: solutions crafted through our Catalyst Skeptics program will be refined into viable Catalyst proposals.
• 12 months: Alumni of Catalyst Skeptics will pay it forward by continuing to onboard new newcomers to Catalyst Funds 15 and beyond.

--- About the Proposer ---
I have been participating in Catalyst since Fund 1, with winning proposals in Funds 1 and 2 (and hopefully by the time you vote on this, Fund 4). I have been a careful observer of the Catalyst process and the various points of view of participants. This proposal is my direct response to these observations, and like I note above, a product of my hopes that our community can make more than a buzzword of "decentralization".

--- Public launch date ---
23 June 2021, pending Catalyst timelines. (This project will officially launch at the start of the first Catalyst round after votes are tallied for Fund 5.)

--- Budget ---

• Project leader: $6000 for 12 weeks of work over the course of two funding rounds
• Project support: $3500 to incentivize project support, including social media presence and community reporting
• Web hosting & subscription services (tbd): $500

--- Q&A ---

Can you speak about how people would find your weekly courses?
I will craft an invitation to be shared at Town Hall, and will ask for the opportunity to present for a few minutes at the first Town Hall of each of the two funding rounds. I will create a landing page at gimbalabs.com, and I will ask the maintainers of the Cardano Catalyst Community Site to post about this opportunity ( If necessary, I can also create a dedicated URL for this project). Each will link to a sign up form, and we will publish a mailing list for anyone who cannot attend the meetings in real time.
Can you outline one of the typical workshops just in general?
Each workshop will focus on relationships first. Attendees will have the chance to share their questions and concerns about Catalyst, we will identify common threads, and we will proceed to clearly define action steps for each attendee.
Would you expect others from the community to join you when conducting the workshops?
All will be welcome, but I will seek to maximize "air time" for newcomers to Catalyst. Veterans of our community will be encouraged to copy and iterate on this idea.
Would this be the same workshop each week for two months (entry level each week) or gradually increasing content?
The sequence of workshops will be similar for each funding round, likely with some revisions from Fund 7 to Fund 8. The content will change from week to week, following the Catalyst process and defining actionable steps that participants can take.