# Local Loop Merseyside App
## High level Overview
### Catchment area
Mutual Credit Services is working to build a business network in Merseyside which will be the context for introducing a variety of **Collaborative Finance** mechanisms.

Merseyside is the name for the metropolitan area around the City of Liverpool in the North West of the UK.

In addition to recruiting in Merseyside-

-we propose including an area of more rural character close to the city, in the hope of fostering local food trade connections.

### The public data tier- ON THE MAP

There is a significant quantity of public data available on businesses in the UK, and we intend to collect some of this from various sources, as well as buy in further information, to 'seed' the database.
.

We will publish a geo-spatial interactive map of this data, using the open-source [Murmurations](https://murmurations.network/) protocol, as in this example (not from Merseyside!):
This map will be the base 'tier' out of three - **the public tier** - consisting entirely of public data and any additional data shared for public use by network members.

Let's look at the three tiers in a diagrammatic, rather than a map form.
The pale blue disc represents the public tier:
  where the public data will be placed, mostly consisting of individual businesses as unconnected data objects: 
As the name suggests, access to this tier will be open to anyone via a website (powered by an instance of the Murmurations 'index').

It is expected that this will be a popular service in Merseyside, and it will be possible for businesses to add themselves to the public map. The Murmuration protocol is expressly designed to make it easy and simple for businesses to keep their information up-to-date.

### The network tier - IN THE LOOP

The onboarding stage of our work - and the application that supports that phase - will propose a second layer which requires active membership, although with a deliberately low 'barrier to entry' - **the Network Tier**: 
The data provided by members will be used to create the key feature of this tier - the trade connections graph: 
The 'price' of entry will be to provide some number of claims as to local trade relationships, both buying and selling. As with many social networks, these claims will need to be accepted by the named business.

Again, it is expected that many Merseyside businesses will be excited by the idea of being 'in the loop', and that we will be able to grow membership of this tier effectively.

Providing data gets you an enhanced status in the map. (possible gamification: more data gets you 'points' - and you can get enhancements with points).

Other benefits will be provided - a Directory from the outset, with other features added over time - to include badges, enhanced profiles, network analysis tools and the like. On the basis of a partnership with a payment services platform, a local payment method and 'virtual card' could be introduced (requiring paid membership).

### The Trade Credit Club - JOIN THE CLUB

Based on the density of their local connections, members of the network tier may be invited into the Trade Credit Club on a paid membership basis.

The Trade Credit Club will allow members to access various Collaborative Finance tools as appropriate to their pattern of local trading.
.

The simplest, and most widely applicable of these will be Multilateral offset - **Loop Clearing**, with liquidity injection - **Fan Clearing** to follow.

Mutual Credit Clubs will be offered in future to clusters of businesses with high levels of inter-trade.

## The planned process for building traction
Start with conversations, presentations - no app needed.
### BUSINESS NETWORK CONVENERS - Dec'23 > Apr'24
We are already engaged with business network conveners of various types:
- Commercial networks, booster efforts, solidarity networks, local area networks.

#### 1. EVENTS
Our event in Liverpool on Dec 8th went very well, with a significant 'buzz' and interest in follow-up events.
- The 'map' alone has generated strong interest, so that we are confident that it is possble to gain a fair amount of traction with just that tool operational, as we build towards the next tiers.
- We have got them very interested in the power of 'the graph' (trading relationships), without going into much detail about specific mechanisms.
- We have begun to educate them about loop clearing.
- We will bring these conveners together at one (more if needed) further events so that they can see that other networks are getting increasingly excited.
- This will give them confidence that:
- others have judged the project to be worth paying attention to,
- there will be networking opportunities for them and their members in the context of Local Loop,
- the 'network effect' and variety of member type which they understand Local Loop requires in order to function is achievable.

#### 2. PARTNERSHIPS

As well as events, Tom - working now with several local networkers and marketers, will have one-on-one conversations with network conveners to build partnerships.
The ambitious aim is get business networks to commit to one of two levels of support for the development of Local Loop:
- Strategic Partnership (ACTIVE): on the basis of some 'deal' for their members, and for them, they agree to actively work with us to get their members signed-up to Local Loop (perhaps bring us 10 members a week for a webinar, report on member responses to marketing etc).
- In return for negotiated benefits - the most obvious of which would be for them to be able to offer their members Local Loop accounts at some discounted rate
- the app might 'badge' itself for a network's members, so that the network gets some recognition
- Partner networks will have logos etc on the Local Loop website
- We will also create some sort of Advisory Board, where networks can be represented and get their profile on the website.

- Promoter (PASSIVE): they agree to distribute Local Loop material to their network through newsletters, allowing us to present at their events etc.
- Still some benefits, presence on website, perhaps smaller discounts.

### EARLY ADOPTERS / WILLING GUINEA PIGS - Feb'24 > May'24
Group settings, introducing the tiers, the concepts, the app, the value propositions.

With the help of supporting networks, we run workshops, seeking feedback on how we are recruiting and serving recruits and members, through each of the tiers. This work will help us develop the onboarding process, give feedback on marketing and the app as it develops.
- In person events, at various scales, with a Local Loop presentation, supported by local marketers and partners.
- Format different each time, as we learn, and as the offer develops, with some mix of feedback on:
- marketing /explanatory materials
- app appeal and usability (ie testing)
- integration of Local Loop workflow with bookkeeping
- perceptions of cost, values, benefits.

### RECRUITMENT EVENTS - Mar'24 onward
Staged: first 'on the map', then adding 'in the loop'.
Group settings - in-person, initially, aiming for online capacity later.

These will be presented as networking events, with Local Loop, convened with partners.

Local Loop onboarding will be a central feature of the events - networking beforehand and afterward.

Format will be developed on the basis of our experience with early adopter groups, but the current outline of the Local Loop part of events looks like this:
- Short Local Loop presentation, focusing on the 'Map' and 'Loop' tiers - no atempt to explain clearing or other mechanisms - just providing some 'teasers'
- Presentation ends with a 'call to action' - to go to the 'Map' (QR code link)
- Guided (by the bot in the app), attendees:
- look for their business "on the map"
- either claim it
- or add themselves if not there
- build/edit their profile
- see themselves on the map
- See how their business is connected "In the Loop"
- explore their links
- or add links themselves if not connected
- Further enrich their presence on the map and/or in the graph

Local Loop sales team at the event will talk to individual / small groups about the further stages of the project in more detail, on the basis of interest - recruit more early adopters this way.

## How the App supports the above
Key features and desirable dates (**still for discussion!**)
### For Network Conveners
'*Demonstrate*': video clips of app in action will probably be more useful. Interactive site not required (although could be useful - doesn't have to be as advanced as video).

- ##### Demonstrate 'on the map' with some public data
- Map navigation, basic tools
- Profile editing
- **End Jan '23**
- ##### Demonstrate 'in the loop' - chatbot and graph
- More map features
- Business claiming / authentication
- 'In the loop' representation and basic navigation
- Add trade partners
- **End Feb '23**

### For Early Adopters / Guinea Pigs
Interactivity is key - app features presented should be to 'public beta' standard (?).
- ##### Interact with 'on the map' with some public data
- Map navigation, basic tools
- Profile editing
- Business claiming / authentication
- **Mid Feb '23**
- ##### Interact with 'in the loop' - chatbot and graph
- 'In the loop' representation and basic navigation
- Add trade partners
- Higher tier authentication
- **Mid Mar '23**
- ##### Interact with 'join the club' features (sandbox)
- Add invoices
- Agree debts to include in run
- Receive set-off notices
- **Mid Apr '23**

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- At an appropriate point, a QR code is displayed/offered somehow (*on screen, on a poster or business card, on a team member's 'phone...*)
- Attendees are taken to the app with the URL in the QR code
- The QR code should probably be standard, with a redirect tool service like bit.ly making it easy to point it at different places if needed,
- or to include event specific information into the URL using an *?appended-code*.
- This would allow - for example - the intended game to put users into the same game lobby or allow tracking of outcomes for different events
- Users are able to onboard themselves into Local Loop through a chat-bot guided process, with positive feedback provided through the visual development of a user-centred view of the network graph.

## User stories with Gherkin
Feature: QR code gets you in

In an in-person event, a QR code on the screen allows users to go straight to the app

Background:
Given a poster/slide/business card displaying a QR code
And a user named "Alice" who wants to experience Local Loop

Scenario: Alice scans the QR code with mobile (or laptop)

Feature: Graph View

We forefront a user-centric view of the