A Solid List from Real Working Examples
This is the practical piece.
1. Source Check
- ☐ Is there real value before scale?
- ☐ Would this still work with 10 people?
- ☐ Is value created off-chain, not just talked about?
If not, stop.
2. Flow Check
- ☐ Can contributors act without permission?
- ☐ Are there clear paths to contribute?
- ☐ Is friction low for aligned action?
If people wait to be told what to do, the river is blocked.
3. Incentive Check
- ☐ Are contributors rewarded for movement, not noise?
- ☐ Does reputation increase through outcomes?
- ☐ Is hoarding discouraged naturally?
If incentives reward talking more than doing, redesign.
4. Depth Check
- ☐ Does autonomy increase with trust?
- ☐ Are proven contributors less governed, not more?
- ☐ Can leadership emerge without titles?
If senior people need more approvals than juniors, something is inverted.
5. Healing Check
- ☐ What broken system does this restore?
- ☐ Who benefits even if they never touch a token?
- ☐ Is non-financial value acknowledged?
If everything must be priced, healing is impossible.
6. Boundary Check
- ☐ Is participation voluntary?
- ☐ Can bad actors self-select out?
- ☐ Are there natural filters instead of public enforcement?
If you need constant policing, flow is already lost.
This list came from experience and a series on DAO’s
I recommend reading whatever makes most sense or is most applicable to you. Are you a starter, integrator, improver, healer, adopter, or philosopher? Like pick your own adventure.
Part 1: Where it Actually Starts
Part 3: When Depth Became Visible
Part 4: What Quitely Began to Heal
