Please describe your proposed solution.

PROBLEM

• Many instances of high-profile academic fraud has been unveiled this year.
• This includes the President of Stanford University and a tenured professor at Harvard Business School, Fransesca Gino - one of the world's most famous behavioural economists.

ANALYSIS

• Though most academics are honest, the incentives to cut corners and cheat are massive and the ability for the peer-review system to detect such cases is non-existent.
• Researchers come in with an optimistic view and model of the world, which they seek out to prove. They them realise that the data is not congruent with their model. Instead of throwing away their model, they are tempted to manipulate their data to fit their model. The former
• Sometimes they fall for this temptation, despite having had pure intentions to begin with. The former Dean of the Social and Behavioral Sciences faculty, Diederik Stapel, explained how he became frustrated with the real world that did not allow him to tell the story he wanted to tell. He said he became blinded by this goal.
• There is terrible publication pressure for academics along with simple answers to complex issues. This creates an environment conducive to this type of fraud.

SOLUTION

The proposed solution involves the development of a Qualtrics extension designed to mitigate research fraud, particularly instances involving tampering with primary data collected from research subjects on the Qualtrics platform. The key components of the solution are as follows:

Qualtrics Extension

A custom extension for the Qualtrics data collection software platform will be created. This extension will be integrated seamlessly into the Qualtrics interface, ensuring a user-friendly experience for researchers.

Data Hashing and Upload

The extension will implement a hashing to generate a unique cryptographic hash for the primary survey respondent data.This hashed data will then be securely uploaded to the Cardano blockchain, leveraging its decentralized and tamper-resistant nature.

Blockchain Immutability

By utilizing Cardano's blockchain, the solution ensures the immutability and integrity of the raw survey data. Once data is stored on the blockchain, it becomes resistant to tampering or manipulation.

Provable Refutation of Tampering

In case of any accusation of data tampering, researchers can provide proof of the original, untampered data by referencing the data stored on the Cardano blockchain. This feature enhances the credibility and trustworthiness of research findings, strengthening the integrity of the entire research process.

The Qualtrics-Cardano integration aims to create a secure and transparent link between Qualtrics survey data and the Cardano blockchain, offering a robust solution for preventing and addressing research fraud related to data tampering. This innovative approach aligns with the broader goals of promoting trust and accountability in academic and research endeavors.

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

The project envisions a positive impact on the wider Cardano community in several key areas:

Trust and Integrity in Research

By providing a secure and tamper-resistant method for storing primary survey respondent data on the Cardano blockchain, the project contributes to the overall trustworthiness and integrity of research conducted using the Qualtrics platform.

Academic and Institutional Credibility

Researchers utilizing the Qualtrics-Cardano integration can enhance the credibility of their research outcomes. The immutability of data on the blockchain serves as a testament to the authenticity of the collected information, promoting trust among peers, institutions, and the broader academic community.

Cardano Ecosystem Showcase

The successful implementation of this Qualtrics-Cardano integration serves as a showcase for the capabilities and practical applications of the Cardano blockchain. It demonstrates how blockchain technology can be leveraged beyond traditional financial use cases, expanding the awareness and adoption of Cardano in diverse industries.

Increased Usage and Adoption of Cardano

As researchers and institutions recognize the value of integrating blockchain technology into their data collection processes, there is potential for increased adoption of the Cardano blockchain. This heightened usage can contribute to the growth and sustainability of the Cardano ecosystem.

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?

Current capabilities

Product side

Simon holds an MPhil (research master's) from the University of Oxford. He lives in Oxford and has direct access to world-leading academics and PhD researchers who would be the intended end-users of this integration.

Technical side

• Hinson is the lead engineer behind Cardano Name Services (https://cnscardano.medium.com/introducing-cns-the-web3-social-id-for-cardano-242464681eeb). They received VC backing by Adaverse and had a booth at the Cardano summit in Dubai.
• John Ndigirigi is a software developer and an Atala PRISM Pioneer. He most recently led the work, completing the first-ever (to the best of our knowledge) Atala PRISM 2.0 demo showcasing an identity wallet browser extension connection with and sharing verifiable credentials to a web app together with the Blocktrust team (3+ proposals completed).

See more details in the team section.

Funds management

For this project, funds will held in a multi-sig with 3 signatories (see above). If provided funding we will explore existing alternatives (Summon, Clarity etc) and decide on a suitable wallet. The lead proposer will receive the funds, convert it to Djed stablecoin, and then transfer it to the multi-sig.

What are the key milestones you need to achieve in order to complete your project successfully?

Milestone 1: Planning and Development Setup

• Define detailed specifications for the Qualtrics extension and Cardano integration.
• Set up the development environment and infrastructure.
• Develop a comprehensive project plan, including timelines and resource allocation.

Milestone 1 is considered complete when the project plan is finalized, and the development environment is ready for implementation.

>Milestone 2: Qualtrics Extension Development

• Design and implement the Qualtrics extension, ensuring seamless integration into the Qualtrics data collection platform.
• Integrate data hashing functionality into the extension for generating cryptographic hashes of primary survey respondent data.
• Conduct thorough testing of the Qualtrics extension to ensure functionality and security.

Milestone 2 is achieved when the Qualtrics extension is fully developed, tested, and ready for integration with Cardano blockchain.

>Cardano Integration and Deployment

• Develop the necessary smart contracts on the Cardano blockchain to facilitate data storage.
• Integrate the Cardano blockchain functionality with the Qualtrics extension.
• Conduct end-to-end testing of the entire Qualtrics-Cardano integration to validate data flow and security measures.
• Prepare comprehensive documentation for users and researchers on how to use the integrated solution.
• Deploy the Qualtrics-Cardano integration for real-world usage.

Milestone 3 marks the successful completion of the project, including the deployment of the integrated solution and the availability of documentation for users

Who is in the project team and what are their roles?

Simon Sällström - Project Manager. MPhil in Economics, University of Oxford. Founder and CEO, DirectEd Development Foundation with several open-source contributions to the Cardano ecosystem including NFT gating, wallet-connect and two general-purpose smart contract primitives. PA and vPA roles in Catalyst F6-F10. Chair, Cardano RealFi Consortium Spring 2023. Workstream lead, Oxford Blockchain Society. Founder, Cardano Student Hub Oxford. Speaker at NFT.NYC and Cardano Summit 2023. 5 completed Catalyst proposals, and 2 submitted. Recent close-out reports: F8 donation dApp proposal and F8 SSI Scholarship Portal proposal.

LinkedIn

Twitter

Hinson Wong - Software Engineer. Lead developer at Cardano Name Service - a infrastructure project for Cardano social networking. Team member at Gimbalab, a Cardano developer community with open source infrastructure tools and education materials. Contributor of Mesh, the SDK for Cardano development. Ex-Citibank, Ex-Crypto.com. Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).

Github

Cardano Open source project

John Ndigirigi- Developer. Bsc. Computer Science. Atala Prism Pioneer. Fund 9 Atala PRISM Catalyst solution contributor, Software Developer DirecteEd Development Foundation. Led the work on completing the SSI (Atala PRISM 2.0) scholarship application portal,

LinkedIn

Github

Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources.

General development Costs (55%): 22,000 ADA

• Salaries/Compensation for project manager and user research-10000
• Salaries/Compensation for developer- 8000
• Software development tools and licenses.-1000
• Quality assurance and testing expenses- 2000

Blockchain Integration (25%): 10,000 ADA

• Smart contract development and deployment on the Cardano blockchain.
• Transaction fees associated with interacting with the Cardano blockchain on development.

Documentation and Outreach (10%): 4,000 ADA

• Creation of user manuals, guides, and documentation for the Qualtrics-Cardano integration.
• Outreach and promotional activities to raise awareness within the Cardano community.

Contingency (10%): 4,000 ADA

Reserve funds for unforeseen expenses or adjustments during the development and deployment phases.

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

The cost of the project represents value for money for the Cardano ecosystem through several key considerations:

Real-world Application: The project addresses a tangible issue in the research domain—fraud in data collection. By creating a practical solution that leverages Cardano's blockchain technology, the project demonstrates the real-world applications of Cardano beyond traditional financial use cases.

Enhanced Trust and Credibility: The integration of Qualtrics with Cardano provides researchers with a secure and tamper-resistant method for storing primary survey respondent data. This enhancement in data integrity contributes to increased trust and credibility in academic and research processes, reflecting positively on the Cardano ecosystem.

Showcasing Cardano's Capabilities: The project serves as a showcase for the capabilities of the Cardano blockchain. It demonstrates Cardano's suitability for diverse applications, attracting attention and potentially encouraging further adoption of Cardano in non-financial sectors.

Community Engagement and Awareness: The successful implementation of the Qualtrics-Cardano integration is likely to attract attention within the Cardano community. Increased community engagement and awareness contribute to a more vibrant and informed ecosystem, fostering collaboration and innovation.

Contributing to Ecosystem Growth: The project aligns with Cardano's goal of fostering a robust and diverse ecosystem. By addressing a specific need within the research community, the project adds value to the broader Cardano ecosystem, attracting interest from researchers, developers, and users.

Cost-Efficient Solution: The proposed budget of 40,000 ADA is allocated strategically across development, blockchain integration, documentation, outreach, and contingency. This allocation ensures that resources are utilized efficiently, maximizing the impact of the project within the specified budget constraints.