New Catalyst operation pattern

Create a platform where users have easy access and powerful tools to contribute, to be recognized and rewarded through standard assessments.

An average ADA holder desires to get involved and contribute more to the Cardano ecosystem but lacks the capabilities to materialize his ideas.

Since I belong to the most in our community, I experience and understand what Catalyst might need to be more attractive.

[IMPACT]

(I will consider adding visual images if required from comments.)

My proposal is a comprehensive renovation of Project Catalyst, focusing on UI/UX design and operation.

A. UI/UX design:

Main problems:

1. Information and resources are spread, making users confused and messing around.

2. Proposal submission is spare. Catalyst provides limited tools for proposers in representing their ideas. Thus, most submitted proposals are long texts without attractive visual aids.

Solutions:

Build a united platform with:

1. Easy access to guidelines and documentation.

2. Useful utilities for proposal presentations: images, videos, charts, voting pools, etc.

3. Classified challenges into categories with lists of related projects. Main challenges will remain through time, while sub-challenges are regularly updated.

4. Built-in voting function.

5. Monitoring the disbursement of funds and projects progress.

B. Operation:

Main problems:

1. Project Catalyst is currently limited to those who can implement their proposals. How about fresh blood who have brilliant ideas but lack authority or capabilities to execute? And how about enthusiastic developers ready to build great Dapps but hungry for practical initiatives? We are wasting talent.

2. Each Fund lasts three months, and the process of disbursement and implementation will extend even longer. It could be considered sluggish compared to how fast this industry grows.

3. Community Advisors play a critical role, but there are doubts about their knowledge, experience, and assessment quality.

Solutions:

Renovate how Catalyst works:

1. Treat proposals and implementation separately, recognize and award all contributions.

• When submitting, a proposer can choose between executing by themselves or delegating to other implementers. As long as proposals are valuable and feasible, they are eligible for awards (i.e., 15% of the total budget, gradual disbursement).
• Everyone can get involved as a sub-contributor by giving comments, feedback, and suggestions. Sub-contributors will receive incentives when proposers gather their opinions to make needed revisions (i.e., 5%).
• Independent developers and IOG/IOHK teams will develop projects based on proposals. Winning teams with the best demo products, voted by the community, will be funded (i.e., 75%, gradual disbursement).
• All non-selected proposals and developers also deserve consolation prizes for their efforts (i.e.,5%).
• CAs/vCAs should be paid from a separate fund to ensure fairness in their assessments. Besides, stable incomes will encourage them to put more substantial effort, commitment, and responsibility into their work.

2. New fund process (2 months in length)

• Week 1-2: Eligible proposals, including new sub-challenges, are published. Everyone can read, CAs start to review and score.
• Week 3-4: Community starts to give feedback and suggestions. Proposers will do Q&A and finalize proposals based on these discussions. vCAs start reviewing CAs assessments.
• Week 5-6: The voting phase starts. Proposers and CAs/vCAs discuss to evaluate sub-contributors contribution.
• Week 7: Results are published, proposals are itemized on smart contracts. Implementers assign to build projects. Proposers and previously posted builders start to submit proposals/projects.
• Week 8: Disbursements start. vCAs filter out substandard ideas and tag specific assessments required.
• Then the next fund starts.

Notes:

• CAs/vCAs and the community will monitor progress and vote on gradual disbursements.
• Winning projects can offer proposers and sub-contributors to join their teams.
• When a selected project successfully launches the official product, the proposer may receive tokens as a copyright fee. Another portion will come back to Catalyst Fund, with minimum worth (in dollars) at TGE equal to the total amount given to the proposer and team.
• When other projects use entirely or part of a proposal for their products, they are encouraged to do the same with proper amounts. The community can consider actions of copyright protection if needed.
• Hold the "Best of the year" Award to honor proposals and projects successfully launched and largely contributed to the Cardano ecosystem during the year.

3. Improve the quality of CAs/vCAs assessments

Build a new proposal scoring system:

• Impact & Auditability: General assessments.
• Technical & Financial Feasibility: Specific assessments.
• All CAs can make general assessments, while only CAs with specific certificates can score feasibilities. For example, an AMM dex proposal will require "DeFi" certificated CAs to evaluate its feasibility.

Develop education courses and exams to improve and verify CAs/vCAs knowledge

• General: Includes basic technical, financial, social, blockchain, crypto, Cardano, etc.
• Advance: DeFi, GameFi, NFT, protocols, blockchain infrastructure, etc.

How does my proposal benefit Cardano?

• Opening chances to contribute and earn awards for all.
• Creating career opportunities for proposers, sub-contributors, and CAs/vCAs.
• Offering unlimited creations and innovative ideas, speeding up developing products for implementers.
• Improving the quality of assessments to help both proposers and voters make their decisions.
• Bringing more efficient and sustainable development for Catalyst Project.
• Building a grateful and respectful intellectual property rights culture for the Cardano community.

My proposal answer many questions in this challenge:

• Increase chances to get involved and experience for all roles.
• Increase the quality of proposals, assessments, and participation from the community members.
• Decrease non-essential phases and waiting time.

Because all numbers in this proposal are my examples only, the community might have a lot of sympathy for my ideas in general, but many might argue adequate figures. If approved, I suggest opening a poll so everyone can vote and decide the most appropriate numbers for execution (i.e., percentages of proposals incentive).

[FEASIBILITY]

The authority and capabilities to deploy this proposal belong to the Project Catalyst team and IOHK. They can work independently or make this a challenge for Fund 9, and then independent developers can jump in.

In the first case, we can expect a new platform launched from Fund 10. In the second one, it might take longer.

This proposal implementation budget depends on Project Catalyst and the community.

About my requested fund amount ($9,999), please take it as an example of how the new pattern works only.

• $3,333 when approved.
• $3,333 when the new platform launches.
• $3,333 after two funds.

By the way, there are two reasons I submitted it as a proposal under this Fund 8 challenge. First, I realized that most proposals in "Project Catalyst Problem Sensing" usually fall into oblivion. And second, I believe my many hours of hard work deserve something. However, as long as my work contributes to developing a more efficient Catalyst platform, I will be happy even when it is unapproved.

My possible collaboration is offering discussions. Decisions are on Project Catalyst.

[AUDITABILITY]

Survey and vote on the new UX/UI design, incentive pools distribution, timeline, etc.

Regularly update on progress, invite users to experience, and give feedback.

Initial achievements after two funds:

• A significant increase (50%-100%) in the number of proposals and participants.
• At least 5-10 users give comments in each proposal.
• A rise in the quality of assessments, but might not the quantity of CAs/vCAs.

New proposal.