Living DAO Design Checklist (COPY This) – A Healthy DAO Series

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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 2: How it Began to Move

Part 3: When Depth Became Visible

Part 4: What Quitely Began to Heal

Part 5: What Was Never Forced

Part 6: Why It Lasted

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