Please describe your proposed solution

We will create the process map for the creation of the Cardano Resilience Index (CRI), inspired by the Edinburgh Decentralization Index, but focused on assessing the long-term resilience of the Cardano ecosystem.

The CRI will fill the information gap that hinders trust, adoption, and the ability to proactively address our ecosystem's systemic challenges, including onboarding large, consequential, incumbent institutions globally.

Our goal is not just to create a theoretical framework, but to provide the tools and methodologies to gather data, model and simulate the real, measurable improvements in Cardano's long-term resilience. If the Cardano community has a set of facts they can agree on, that underpin the value proposition, they will be able to provide a consistent message about the trusted status of Cardano’s enterprise and government-grade digital infrastructure.

The intention driving the development of the Cardano Resilience Index is to deliver a comprehensive framework, tools and methodologies to measure and assess the Cardano ecosystem's long-term resilience. We propose this initiative will:

1. Define key metrics for measuring Cardano's resilience across multiple dimensions (e.g. economic, technical, social, environmental)
2. Develop methodologies for collecting and analyzing relevant data
3. Create an open-source framework for calculating and tracking the index
4. Provide the data to produce regular reports on the state of Cardano's resilience
5. Influence recommendations for improving long-term resilience of public digital infrastructure over time.

Annual reviews and updates to the index, allowing us to measure progress and adjust our approach as needed, and as conditions change, will be a prerequisite.

We envisage it being an academic, peer-reviewed resource which the community can use to model, simulate and inform governance decisions, development priorities, and community initiatives.

By creating this process map, we aim to lay the groundwork for a powerful tool that will enhance Cardano's long-term viability, build trust with potential adopters, and position Cardano as the most resilient digital infrastructure to develop Nation-building systems. By taking a "seven generations" view, we propose the goal of the Index is to ensure Cardano remains vibrant and impactful for decades to come.

We recognize that these are just the first steps towards generating the full impact of this project, which may take years to fully manifest.

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

The process map to create the Cardano Resilience Index will have a tangible impact in several ways:

• Clear Guidance: Offering a structured, transparent roadmap for creating resilience metrics, enabling community members to track improvements in critical areas such as governance and economic resilience. Qualitative assessments and annual reports will be informed by the data this process uncovers.
• Stakeholder Alignment: Promoting collaboration by clearly defining roles and responsibilities across developers, governance bodies, and community members, leading to smoother integration and faster decision-making.
• Adaptability: Establishing a framework that fosters continuous community engagement and contributions. This will ensure resilience metrics remain relevant as Cardano evolves, allowing for future iterations.
• Education: Increasing awareness about the importance of resilience for Cardano’s long-term stability and encouraging more informed participation in ecosystem governance.

Impact Measurement:

• Track how widely the process map garners support and contribution from governance bodies, developers, and community projects.
• Metric: Number of governance proposals, initiatives, reports referencing the process map and the development of the CRI.
• Measure collaboration by tracking contributions from stakeholders in defining and refining resilience metrics.
• Metric: Number of active contributors to the process.
• Monitor participation levels in community discussions, workshops, and educational materials around resilience.
• Metric: Number of attendees or participants in related events.
• Look for references to the Cardano ecosystem's development of the CRI in academic papers and policy discussions, indicating the broader credibility and impact of the framework.
• Metric: Number of citations in academic and institutional literature.

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?

The SIG brings together expertise in economics, blockchain governance, resilience metrics, and Cardano ecosystem development.

Approach to Feasibility and Validation:

1. Peer review of our approach to development of the methodology by academic partners
2. Open consultation with the Cardano community on scope, approach and budget allocation for index design, with regular community updates and feedback sessions will help validate our approach and findings with the broader Cardano ecosystem.
3. Collaboration with IOG, Emurgo, and Cardano Foundation, and other leading DEX, Development and Commercialisation organisations to ensure alignment
4. Transparent development process with all work open-sourced
5. We'll benchmark our approach against similar initiatives in other blockchains or relevant fields to ensure we're meeting or exceeding industry standards.

Existing Capabilities and Track Record:

1. Governance Experience: Our team includes members involved in Cardano's governance evolution, including work on the Constitutional Committee and drafting governance proposals.
2. Research Publications: Team members have published papers on blockchain technology and economics, demonstrating our capacity for rigorous analysis. (<https://clik.vc/democraticpluralism>)
3. Community Leadership: We have a strong presence in the Cardano community, having led successful Project Catalyst proposals and community initiatives.
4. Industry Connections: Our network includes connections to key players in the blockchain industry, academia, and relevant international organizations.
5. Technical Implementation: Team members have experience in developing and implementing blockchain metrics and analytics tools.
6. Project Delivery: We have a track record of successfully delivering complex, multi-stakeholder projects within the Cardano ecosystem and beyond.

Ensuring Trust and Accountability:

1. Transparent Communication: We'll maintain open communication channels with the community, including regular updates, AMAs, and detailed progress reports.
2. Open-Source Approach: All our work will be open-source, allowing for community scrutiny and contribution.
3. Clear Governance Structure: We'll establish a clear decision-making process within our team and communicate this to the community.

Combining diverse expertise, a methodical approach to feasibility, and a commitment to transparency, we are well-equipped to deliver a high-quality, impactful project that the Cardano community can trust. Our deep connections within the ecosystem and broader blockchain industry ensure our work will be relevant, rigorous, and actionable.

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

Milestone 1: Establishing the Foundation of the Cardano Resilience Index (6 weeks)

• Outputs:
• Detailed project plan and timeline.
• Research methodology, peer-reviewed.
• Initial stakeholder map.
• Literature review outline.
• Acceptance Criteria:
• Project plan approved by the core team and key stakeholders.
• Research methodology positively evaluated by the community.
• Stakeholder map includes representatives from all major segments of the Cardano ecosystem.
• Literature review outline covers blockchain resilience, resilience metrics, and relevant indices from other fields.
• Evidence:
• Documented project plan.
• Recordings of the Community sessions sharing the methodology and gathering feedback..
• Updated stakeholder map.
• Detailed literature review outline.

Milestone 2: Creating the Process Map (10 weeks)

• Outputs:
• Detailed outline of the steps required to move from concept to a fully implemented Cardano Resilience Index.
• Inclusion of timelines, resource requirements, and potential challenges for each step.
• Identification of key decision points and options for different approaches.
• Acceptance Criteria:
• Process map approved by the core team and shared with key stakeholders.
• Process map includes a risk assessment and mitigation plan.
• Thorough review of the technical and economic feasibility of the index.
• Evidence:
• Documented process map.
• Risk matrix and mitigation plan.
• Feasibility report.

Final Milestone: Final Milestone: Implementation and Dissemination (14 weeks)

• Outputs:
• First roadmap outlining the plan for development of the Cardano Resilience Index.
• Creation of educational materials for the community.
• Presentation of results at community events.
• Development of a detailed final report.
• Acceptance Criteria:
• Roadmap demonstrates the path to construct tools to calculate key resilience metrics, model and simulate changes.
• Educational materials are clear and accessible to the Cardano community.
• At least one presentation has been made at a relevant event.
• Final report includes all results, methodologies, and recommendations.
• Evidence:
• Functional roadmap for CRI
• Educational materials.
• Conference presentations.
• Final report.

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

The instigators of the Special Interest Group have already garnered support from Cardano’s founding entities and will bring together more community members and a diverse set of skills, experiences, and connections that uniquely position us to deliver this project with high levels of trust and accountability. Here's an overview of the capabilities and approach that will ensure the feasibility of the project:

1. Blockchain Governance: SIG members with direct experience in Cardano's governance processes, including involvement in the Civics Committee, Constitutional Committee and drafting of governance documents. This ensures our work is grounded in a deep understanding of Cardano's unique challenges and opportunities.
2. Economic Expertise: We have economists who bring rigorous analytical skills and an understanding of complex systems, crucial for developing a comprehensive resilience framework.
3. Technical Knowledge: Team members with blockchain development experience ensure our framework is technically sound and implementable.
4. Community Engagement: The track record of those participating in the SIG demonstrate Cardano community leadership and project catalyst involvement validating the ability to engage and mobilize the ecosystem.
5. Research Skills: Academic backgrounds in relevant fields equip us to conduct thorough literature reviews and develop robust methodologies.
6. Project Management: Experience in delivering complex, multi-stakeholder projects ensures we can manage this initiative effectively.

Supporting the Special Interest Group:

Jose – Academic

Jose Miguel De Gamboa Management, Economics and HR strategic management from CESA, University of W. Sydney and Cornell University. He is an experienced professional with 25 years in the corporate world specializing in culture and catalytic leadership. He currently teaches blockchain at CESA. In the Cardano community, he serves on Intersect’s Steering Committee and in the Civics committee where he is collaborating to write Cardano's constitution first draft. He's also a founding member of the Latam Cardano Community, has contributed to Catalyst as Challenge team member/leader and Community reviewer since fund 7 and has co-authored several governance related papers. His work aims to capture collective intelligence at the service of common growth.

<https://www.linkedin.com/in/jose-miguel-de-gamboa/>

Mercy – Community

Mercy is the co-founder and Partnerships Lead at Wada Global, an organization dedicated to growing and equipping the Cardano community in Africa. She has over 25 years of experience in project management, community engagement, and healthcare in West Africa, the UK, and Canada and has been involved in the Cardano ecosystem since Project Catalyst's inception in Fund 1. Mercy actively contributed to the Cardano Improvement Proposal (CIP) process, co-organizing the Ghana CIP 1694 workshop in 2023. She is also a member of IntersectMBO's Civics Committee and Constitution/Ratification Task Force.

<https://www.linkedin.com/in/mercy-tachie-menson-77b10931/>

Jo – Coordination

Jo Allum is the Founder of Venture Centre an entrepreneurial ecosystem development and support organisation engaged in 40+ Project Catalyst projects since 2021, providing coordination, mentoring and support functions across various ongoing projects. She has 30 years of professional experience in the digital, communications, startup and investment space. Jo is currently a member of Intersect and the Eastern Cardano Council, which holds a community seat on the Interim Constitutional Committee, has participated in the Constitution Draft-a-thon, Financial Sustainability working group and hosted Aotearoa’s Constitutional workshop. Her intention is to create the commons that enables the highest potential of human collaboration for the long-term benefit of her children, yours and theirs.

<https://www.linkedin.com/in/joallum/>

Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources

Our project is not strictly dependent on external organisations, but its success and impact will be significantly enhanced through strategic collaborations, so we aim to:

1. Collaborate with blockchain research organisations. Organizations that have been bought into the ecosystem by founding entities, like the Edinburgh Decentralization Index team can offer valuable methodologies and benchmarks. Organisations focused on Tokenomic, such as the Tokenflows (<https://clik.vc/tkflows>), the Bonding Curve Research Group, etc. have begun to create Modelling and Simulating tools to build upon.
2. Engage with academic institutions: Partnering with universities and research centres who’ve focused on resilience will provide academic rigour and diverse perspectives on blockchain resilience.
3. Involve industry partners who we want to onboard. Corporate and government input on blockchain adoption will ensure our framework addresses real-world concerns and use cases.
4. Align with global initiatives, e.g.; UN's global AI governance initiative. As blockchain and digital identity are part of this governance effort, our work on Cardano's resilience can contribute valuable insights and potentially influence global standards.

These collaborations are essential for:

• Ensuring our framework is comprehensive and globally relevant
• Accessing diverse expertise and methodologies
• Increasing the credibility and adoption of our resilience index
• Positioning Cardano as a leader in blockchain resilience and governance

While not dependencies in the strict sense, these partnerships will significantly enhance the quality, relevance, and impact of our work.

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

The Cardano Resilience Process Map offers immense value by providing a blueprint for building the Resilience Index, ensuring long-term success for the ecosystem.

For a modest investment, we will:

• Create an open-source framework for developing resilience metrics that can be refined over time.
• Position Cardano as a leader in blockchain resilience methodology.
• Lay the groundwork for data-driven insights to optimize spending.
• Enhance Cardano's credibility with academic and institutional partners.
• Empower the community with tools to participate in long-term planning and strategy development.

Once developed, The Cardano Resilience Index will deliver value by providing a foundational tool ensuring the long-term success of the entire ecosystem. It will:

• Create an open-source framework that can be built upon and refined over time
• Establish Cardano as a leader in blockchain resilience metrics
• Provide data-driven insights to optimize millions in development and treasury spending
• Enhance Cardano's credibility with academic and institutional partners
• Empower the community with tools to participate in long-term planning actively
• Enhance trust and adoption by providing a clear framework for measuring and improving Cardano's resilience, increasing confidence among potential adopters, especially large institutions and governments.
• Deliver the basis for regular assessment to help prevent or mitigate future crises.
• Foster collaboration with other blockchain projects, advancing the entire field and developing industry-wide standards for blockchain resilience.

The potential return on investment in terms of optimized resource allocation, increased adoption, and ecosystem longevity far outweighs the initial cost of planning and then developing this critical infrastructure.