This week has been a deep-dive into operational procedures, community engagement, and setting the groundwork for future processes.
Nominations, Campaigning, and Elections
This week was teeming with in-depth discussions centred around the ‘Nominate’ function, its role in our campaigning strategies, and how it ties into the overarching Election and Voting scheme of the NDC. Here’s what that involves:
- Campaigning Guides: The idea here is to empower our potential candidates to holistically articulate their perspectives on NEAR and their vision for its growth. These guides will serve as a robust framework for the candidates to share their thoughts, ideas, and plans, fostering a more engaging and enlightening election process.
- Voter Education: An informed voter is the bedrock of a healthy democratic process. We’re putting our heads together to create comprehensive educational content aimed at our voters. The focus is on clarity and inclusivity – everyone should understand the structure of the governing bodies, how the voting mechanism functions, who the candidates are, and the broader mechanics of the NDC.
In our recent discussions, we also dug deep into the eligibility criteria for becoming an OG in the Near ecosystem. We agreed upon the definitions of ‘active,’ the length of time required for this status, and what makes a ‘contributor.’
One of the key elements we agreed upon is the need for transparency and community involvement in finalizing these criteria. We also delved into the nomination and election process for our governance V1, where we tackled a range of issues – from employing on-chain tools for announcing candidacies to ensuring transparency and fairness throughout the process.
We understand the significance of safeguards against potential pitfalls, such as anti-cartel behavior and disproportionate representation. That’s why we’re committed to building a thorough and mindful process that guarantees fairness and keeps the government functioning smoothly.
Polling Strategy and Voter Education
An efficient polling strategy is paramount to understanding the needs, concerns, and expectations of our community. We’re planning to run polls regularly.
What types of questions are we going to ask? Those that matter to you. By integrating your responses into our decision-making process, we can better cater to your needs and aspirations.
To ensure widespread participation, we’re also planning on leveraging our moderators in various communities to distribute our content.
In short, every decision we make, every process we build, and every step we take is with one objective in mind – to make our community stronger, more inclusive, and more effective. And as always, your involvement fuels our progress. Here’s to another week of collaboration, innovation, and growth!
Polling Process
As i just covered when it comes to driving community engagement, well-crafted polls are among the most potent tools we have. Together with Yuen, we’ve put in considerable effort to sculpt an efficient and effective Polling Process. Why? Because we want the community to have a say 2-3 times a week, fostering an environment of interactive and inclusive decision-making.
However, the path to success is paved with meticulous planning and execution. Here’s a look at what our Polling Process encompasses:
Receiving Poll Requests: Before anything else, we need a channel for receiving poll requests. Whether it’s a matter that demands immediate attention or an issue that seeks community consensus, the poll requests serve as our cue to action. We are developing a system where work groups can send in their poll requests, kick-starting the process.
Drafting Questions: The effectiveness of a poll is directly proportional to the quality of its questions. To ensure we have unbiased, holistic, and effective questions, I am investing time into a comprehensive drafting process. This entails scrutinizing every question for potential bias, ensuring each one covers all aspects of the issue at hand, and checking for clarity and effectiveness. An unbiased question facilitates fair responses, a holistic question ensures all viewpoints are considered, and an effective question delivers precise and actionable insights.
Tracking System: Accountability and transparency are crucial when it comes to community-driven decisions. That’s why I’m working on a robust tracking system that logs every step in the process. From the moment a poll request is received to the moment the results are shared, every action is recorded. This way, we create a transparent audit trail for every poll, helping maintain trust in the system.
Scheduling Calendar: Polls shouldn’t be a surprise. To ensure everyone has a chance to participate, we’re developing a calendar for our polls. This not only allows us to plan our resources better but also gives the community ample time to prepare for each poll.
At the core, a solid Polling Process is a cornerstone of active and effective community engagement. It’s a way for every voice to be heard, every opinion to be considered, and every decision to be a reflection of our collective wisdom. By getting this process right from the onset, we are laying the foundation for a culture of inclusivity, transparency, and mutual respect. The goal is clear: to empower our community members to contribute meaningfully to our shared journey.
Enhanced Meeting Documentation
As we drive forward in our journey, the importance of effective and comprehensive communication cannot be understated. Meetings are an essential element of our collaborative ecosystem, and ensuring that their contents are well-documented and easily accessible is a priority. This not only promotes transparency but also facilitates better decision-making, follow-up actions, and knowledge sharing.
For this purpose, we are shifting gears and adopting Read.ai, an innovative solution designed to revolutionize our approach to meeting documentation. But why is this move necessary, and what does it bring to the table?
Why Do We Need More Than a Basic Synopsis? In a rapidly evolving environment like ours, every discussion, every idea, and every decision matters. While a basic synopsis can provide a brief overview of a meeting, it may not capture the nuances, the context, or the depth of discussions. By opting for a more comprehensive record, we ensure that nothing important falls through the cracks.
Benefits of a Better Note-Taking System: With Read.ai, we are not just enhancing our note-taking process, but reimagining it altogether. This platform creates detailed, timestamped transcriptions of our meetings, ensuring that every point is captured verbatim. What’s more, it’s designed to recognize and highlight key points, decisions, and action items. As a result, following up on meetings becomes much more efficient and straightforward.
Accessibility and Flexibility: One of the key advantages of this approach is that it provides the community with the ability to revisit the meetings at their own pace. Whether someone wants to delve into the details of a particular discussion or review the key decisions made, the records are just a click away.
To give you an idea of what to expect, here’s an example of a Regional Communities Weekly Call documented using Read.ai: Regional Communities Weekly Call.
Remember, this is just the beginning. All our core calls will be documented in this manner moving forward, increasing transparency and promoting active community engagement. By improving our meeting documentation, we’re not just making meetings more efficient — we’re making sure everyone is on the same page, literally and figuratively.
Planning and Strategy Working Group
In collaboration with Blaze, I have been exploring the future of the NDC. More specifically, we are working on the Planning and Strategy Working Group Charter, detailing how the NDC can evolve past v1. Once we finalize the draft, it will be shared for community review.
Toward Fair Compensation
It’s simple: when you put your heart and soul into contributing to NEAR, you should be fairly compensated for your efforts. Currently, I’m knee-deep in discussions with many of the OGs in NEAR and the NDC, and our goal is to formulate a comprehensive, balanced compensation and reward strategy.
While it’s a task with many facets and layers, getting it right has the potential to yield substantial benefits for everyone involved. Not only will it ensure that everyone feels valued and rewarded for their contributions, but it will also foster a stronger sense of community and shared purpose, attracting more talent and fostering greater commitment. This is no quick fix, but a long-term strategy aimed at building a more sustainable and equitable ecosystem.
Efficient Budgeting Process
A well-oiled financial machine is crucial for the functioning and growth of our ecosystem. That’s why I’ve been engaging with S P, a respected governance expert and advisor to the Near Foundations. The focus is on gleaning valuable insights from their extensive experience with GitCoin and ENS and adapting their tried-and-tested budgeting practices to our needs.
Why is this important? An efficient and standardised budgeting process ensures that we allocate our community treasury wisely, making the most of every dollar. It also allows us to plan our activities better, provides a measure of ecosystem success, and increases transparency and accountability.
Rigorous Bounty Review
Last but not least, I’ve joined forces with Kaz for a crucial mission: reviewing all of May’s retroactive bounty requests. We’re taking a meticulous approach, scrutinizing every detail to ensure that all claims are fair and justified.
While this is undoubtedly a demanding task, it’s also immensely rewarding. Not just in the sense of facilitating fair rewards for hard work, but also in terms of providing a clear overview of the wonderful people devoting their time and skills to the NDC. Each review is a reminder of the energy, passion, and talent that’s fueling our shared mission to shape the future of Near.
Work Group Updates
This past week, I’ve also been meticulously reviewing the charters for the Refi, AI, Freelance, and Reconciliation Work Groups. These charters represent the foundation of each group’s operation, defining their goals, roles, and guiding principles. After extensive examination, I’m pleased to report that they are beginning to take shape effectively. The charters are evolving to not only capture the essence of each group’s mission but also to provide a clear, robust framework for their future activities. This significant progress is a testament to their team’s hard work, and I’m excited to see how these work groups will flourish as they operate under their newly refined charters.
| Workgroup | Intro Call | Charter | Charter Link | Budget | Legal Entity | Community Outreach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NFT | Done |
 Ready for Community Review |
NEAR NFT Ecosystem Revival DAO Charter - Google Docs | In Progress | To be started | In Progress |
| Amplify | Done |
Ready for Community Review |
DistroWG Charter - Google Docs | In Progress | To be started | In Progress |
| DeFi | Done |
Ready for Community Review |
NEAR Digital Collective DEFI GWG Charter - Google Docs | In Progress | To be started | In Progress |
| Gaming | Done |
Ready for Community Review |
GamingDAO Charter - Google Docs | In Progress | To be started | In Progress |
| Regional Communities | Done |
Ready for Community Review |
RC DAO Charter - Google Docs | In Progress | In Progress | In Progress |
| Refi WG | Done |
Ready for Community Review |
ReFi WG Framework V2 Charter - Google Docs | To be started | To be started | In Progress |
| Ai WG | TBC - Only TG communication for the time being |
Ready for Community Review |
AI DAO Working Group Charter - Google Docs | To be started | To be started | In Progress |
| FreeLance WG | TBC | In Progress | FreeLancer DAO Charter - Google Docs | To be started | To be started | In Progress |
| Reconciliation | Done | In Progress | TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION WG CHARTER - Google Docs | To be started | To be started | In Progress |