Wada Product Integrations

[GENERAL] Summarize your solution to the problem.

Create a platform marketplace for new Cardano dApps and products to host their solutions on and gain access to new markets.

[GENERAL] Summarize your relevant experience.

Cardano-based community network of 25+ professionals focused on connecting the world to Africa using blockchain and AI. 20+ funded proposals with strong partnerships within the Catalyst ecosystem. A trusted source for both Africa-based projects and wider ecosystem contributions.

[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.

Main deliverable:

A landing page directory that hosts Wada and Wada-affiliated products, providing product roadmaps, sign-up information and launch details.

Secondary deliverable:

An online platform that hosts Wada and Wada-affiliated products in an integrated fashion, paying close attention to seamless user experiences and standardized design principles.

Project Brief:

Wada currently has 15+ dApps and products in development within it's ecosystem, so forming an integration between them is paramount to upholding the principle of interoperability, from both a technical and user-experience perspective. 

Wada Product Examples:

• WadaDex
• Wada Academy
• EducationDAO
• Rent App
• Ekival

Wada Product Standards - Creating a standardized approach to dApp creation, so that from the initial research stages, the new dApps have in mind a collective of products that will be offered to users, so that their tech stacks are compatible within this wider context. Ideally, they will also reflect a UX and front end that looks somewhat similar.

Tech Stack: Wada has made the choice to move away from the standard Wordpress + plugins it uses for many of the initial proof-of-concepts and its own main site, in favor for a more extendable stack, for the purposes of future use-case capabilities:

• React
• Javascript
• Typescript

MVP Directory (VO) - Build a landing page directory, where products can host their development roadmaps, sign-up forms and product information within a single tile or icon. This icon will then be contained within a grid of similar or complementary products, refined by a user search function.

Full dashboard (V1) - Products can feature their dApps from within the dashboard itself. Instead of being purely informational, the dashboard then has utility as a secondary window into the dApp itself, meaning that the user never has to leave the window in order to access a multitude of products and services.

User Example: Sarah Lakely

Sarah is a student in Ghana, and she wants to apply for a loan for next semester, to help cover her rent and school fees.

She could:

• Try and find which products are available, through a haphazard search of various discords, search engines, social media and websites.

or

• Visit the Wada product dashboard, search for her use cases and see where each product is in its development cycle, which are launched, and which have integrations.

Future Use Cases:

• Platform as a Channel:
• Acting as a marketing channel for other products, as well as Wada's verification of trusted products. 
• Providing access to emerging markets where the product team does not have an entry point.
• Providing access to product testers and focus groups for feedback and iteration.
• Platform Directory to Platform Marketplace:
• Source developers, marketers and other resources.
• Two-way channel whereby recruits can apply to products in development that require additional input.
• Testing and beta launches: Users will be able to sign up for product testing and beta launches, with Cardano projects able to gather user data
• Wider ecosystem integrations:
• Beyond Wada - opening up the possibility of integrations across the board, working closely with other alliances and collectives to ensure that standards are uniform.
• Contributing to future industry standards for products, dApps and financial instruments within the Cardano ecosystem.

• HI: High Integration
• SI: Some Integration
• LI: Loose Integration

[IMPACT] Please describe how your proposed solution will address the Challenge that you have submitted it in.

Challenge Description and KPIs:

• Creation or improvement of different Dapps, products, and integrations (High)

The successful funding and delivery of this proposal will allow for improvements to be made at scale, rather than for a singular product. All new products coming into the ecosystem, will have technical and design specifications to reference from the beginning.

• Integrations with other existing services, products, and protocols that improve the end-user experience (Very High)

This proposal directly addresses the problem of cross-product integrations, with the goal being standardized user experiences across a range of products.

[IMPACT] What are the main risks that could prevent you from delivering the project successfully and please explain how you will mitigate each risk?

Risk Management:

Co-ordination and Agreement: Co-ordination and agreement between several hubs and product teams will be paramount to the success of this proposal. There is a high likelihood of cooperation due to them having a pre-existing relationship to Wada, ergo reducing the case where a product acts fully independently and denies integration requests.

Technical requirements: The initial landing page directory can be created using existing tools as it requires no blockchain integration in order to host information on the dashboard. The V1 product will likely require a custom build, due to the nature of accessing products directly. At the point where wallet integrations become necessary, Wada will consult with its technical team, made up of Plutus engineers and experienced Haskell developers.

Proof of Concept: While the V1 product build is a novel solution, the V0 directory build already has several players in the market. After this build has been completed, and the technical specifications of various products are aligned, creating the full product dashboard will be achievable.

[FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed plan, including timeline and key milestones for delivering your proposal.

Roadmap: (After successful funding)

First 30 Days:

• UX & Design specification completed.
• Technical project lead identified and onboarded.

3 months:

• Technical specification completed.
• Agreements made with product teams for an adherence to standards (where applicable).

6 months: 

• V0 launch of dashboard with a test team.
• Marketing campaign launched, with email waitlist for public dashboard usage.

12 months:

• Retrospective done, feedback gathered and improvements made.
• Full public launch of the dashboard (V1)
• Wada Product Standards Documentation (WPS1001) completed
• Wada Design Standards Specification (WDS1001) completed

Workload Management:

Wada runs several projects in parallel, aided by it's network and partners to deliver on multiple proposals. A new approach to managing proposal completion is to institute a new project manager for each funded proposal, and ensure that each project manager does not have more than 3 funded proposals to deliver on at any time. 

[FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed budget breakdown.

Budget:

• Team fees $15000 - Project co-ordination, onboarding, facilitation, partnerships and outreach.
• Marketing & Branding $10000 - Campaign budget post-launch + marketing services available for new products.
• Developer fees (V0) $7000 - Estimated quote for product directory build with custom solutions.
• Developer fees (V1) $15000 - Estimated quote for product dashboard build with user login capability.
• Documentation & Standards $5000 - WPS1001, WDS1001 specification and creation. Audit contractors to liaise with communications manager and product managers.
• Technical Project Management $48000 (0.5 FTE) ($4000x12) - Responsible for successful software implementation and ongoing solutions architecture. Leading the technical standards initiative (WPS1001).
• Communications Manager $24,000 (1 FTE) ($2000x12) - Responsible for communications across all products and stakeholders.
• UX & Design $15000 (0.25 FTE) ($1200x12) - Responsible for aligning the user interfaces and journey maps across products. Leading the design standards initiative (WDS1001).
• Platform Costs $10000 - Ongoing maintenance costs of the platform (up to 12 months).
• Product Marketplace R&D (V1) $3000 - Feasibility study and technical specification of a product marketplace platform. Integrations testing across several products.

Total Budget: $152,000

Proposed Budget: $128,000

Funding Gap: Wada will source a communications manager internally, drawing upon treasury funds and other funding sources to close the gap.

[FEASIBILITY] Please provide details of the people who will work on the project.

Core Team & Roles:

Josh F - Global Lead @ Wada

An active Catalyst member since Fund 2, 6x challenge setter, stakepool operator and funded proposer. Josh will be overseeing the successful implementation of this project.

https://linkedin.com/in/joshfielding

Frédéric Samvura (Genty) - Business Initiatives Lead @ Wada, DRC Coordinator @ Wada, Core Contributor @ Gimbalabs

M.A in Economics, experienced in banking and public policy. Completed the Plutus Pioneer and Atala Prism Pioneer Programs. Haskell and Plutus trainer in Wada and Gimbalabs Education programs, Smart Contract Developer and entrepreneur.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/fr%C3%A9d%C3%A9ric-samvura-907aa53b/

Leo Koshoni - Technical Advisor @ Wada

Harry Heller - Founding Partner @ Edify Business UK

NED and chairman, executive and business coach - specialising in full value-based impact innovation programmes for enterprises and organisations. Founding partner of one of the UK's first Social Business Generational Accelerators. Officially credited with supporting the development of the NHS's first Sustainable Development Vision and Strategy programme. Coached Fellows on the Cambridge University Programme for Sustainable Development, and coached Fellows & lectured at the Cambridge University Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning & Social Enterprise. VP and director for business consultancy, strategy, marketing strategy and business development across several global blue chip: Consultancy, IT, media and telecoms companies.

Richmond Oppong- Marketing & Design Lead @ Wada

Richmond is a graphic designer with over 10 years of experience in logo designs, print and poster designs, business card designs, 3D signage, and mounting billboards. He holds a Higher National Diploma in Graphic Design from Takoradi Polytechnic, Takoradi-Ghana. Richmond is a blockchain enthusiast and is actively part of the Cardano project catalyst community.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/richmond-oppong-054689b4

Daniel Dezu - Website Lead @ Wada

Daniel is a Front End web developer. He holds Bachelors of Science in Information Technology from Bluecrest College and Professional Diploma in Software Engineering from IPMC Ghana. He is passionate about Cloud computing, Cyber Security and Decentralized Applications. He was a Community Advisor in Catalyst fund 7 and Catalyst Challenge Team Lead for ‘Scale-UP Cardano’s Community Hubs’ challenge settings for fund 8. He envisioned using Blockchain Technology to bridge the gap between human capabilities and machine learning (AI & IoT).

https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-david-lezu-7ba04b24/

+ Wada network and advisors - https://www.wada.org/about-us

Additional Talent:

Wada will be sourcing a technical lead for this project, who can act as both project manager and solutions architect for the duration of its implementation.

[FEASIBILITY] If you are funded, will you return to Catalyst in a later round for further funding? Please explain why / why not.

At this time, no further funding applications are planned for the product integrations side of Wada's operations.

While there is a connection to the array of products and services in development at Wada, this proposal stands on its own in terms of funding requirements.

[FEASIBILITY] Are you or any member of your team working on any other proposals in this Fund9?

[FEASIBILITY] Are you or your team working on any other proposals from previous Funds?

[AUDITABILITY] Please describe what you will measure to track your project's progress, and how will you measure these?

Key Metrics:

Wada will measure the number and percentage of its products that have been successfully listed, then integrated on the platform. This will be achieved through a view on the products dashboard, and be available for the Cardano community to view on the Wada website.

Wada will also measure user engagement, as it is a core objective of the proposal to increase user activity and adoption of the Cardano products on offer. This will be achieved through web traffic analytics and user surveys, which will be available for the Cardano community to review.

Quantitative Measures:

• No. of products listed on the platform.
• No. products agreed to standardized design principles.
• % products agreed to standardized design principles.
• No. products agreed to standardized technical specifications.
• % products agreed to standardized technical specifications.
• User feedback (rating):
• Ease of use.
• Visual appeal.
• Frequency of use.
• Web traffic:
• Monthly site visits.
• Average page visit duration (dashboard)
• Product-specific page visits (monthly)
• Email sign-ups (product waitlists)

[AUDITABILITY] What does success for this project look like?

What success looks like:

Users will have an integrated solution to their dApp management and discovery. Instead of a scenario that relies on users to research products independently, all products will be displayed on a singular dashboard, with product development updates, roadmaps and early sign-up available for product launches.

[AUDITABILITY] Please provide information on whether this proposal is a continuation of a previously funded project in Catalyst or an entirely new one.

This is a new proposal, not directly attached to any previous ones, but existing within the network of Wada proposals.

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Interested in contributing or partnering? Get in touch today by contacting team@wada.org