---
# System prepended metadata

title: Digital Community Ethnography

---

# Digital Community Ethnography

### Findings and Best Practices


## From Other Internet's Uniswap Study:

### Problems: 

> *...we discovered that the main issue for stakeholders is still the governance process itself, especially when it comes to on-chain issues. Other highly discussed themes were **compensation for contributors** (including delegates), and **power asymmetry**, indicating the need to address these important blockers before turning to ecosystemic issues in web3.*

Slowness, Non-expression of Proposals -> **Regulatory Fear**

**Compensation Structures**
**Power Assymetry**

### Suggestions:

**Formalize off-chain processes and mechanisms for those aspects of governance that cannot be fully automated** -> Governance Maximization

**Create many centers of authority that can act independently from the core team** -> Polycentry


The Uniswap study illuminates one crucial issue not only of blockchain governance in DAOs, but also of all model-based organizations that rely on whitepapers and a formal specification. What has to be addressed in the space of blockchain governance is the "Reality" issue. There seems to always be a very big discrepancy between what is expressed in the formal level and what actual happens in the commuitty level. DAOs require a scientific and investigative approach rather than a merely enigneering/technological mindset. 


## From RnDAO:


### Revised questions for user interviews - Ashish, 28-June-2022

Note: Previous list of questions asked during user interviews [https://www.notion.so/Interview-Questions-6a830fe8c7004b68aa4c4488dc030b7d](https://www.notion.so/6a830fe8c7004b68aa4c4488dc030b7d)

## For DAO Leader discussions

This is a long list of questions. Selection can be done basis the context and how the discussions progresses. Questions in red are critical info we need, should aim get answers to 100% of these  

- Possible pre work by us, before the meeting
    - Where they are: current practices and if there has been any discussion around community health (source: forum and discord)
    - Current community health:
        - Public stats: Participation in forum discussions, voting participation, etc
        - Any measures basis our hypothesis / functionalities
- On community management:
    - Discussion on how it is currently done. The measures, responsibilities, tools and process measures. Any actions taken historically (can be as process or episodic)
    - What do you like about your community management, what are the challenges you are facing. Around community, what are the key problems you are currently dealing with. (Get a sense of how important it is in their mind)
    - How much personal time invested
    - What is the contribution of the community to the success of the venture (will give us insights on how they perceive community + maybe identify which types of DAOs believe their success is more dependent on the community)
    - 
- Vision:
    - Definition of community and community health
    - What are the important things to measure for community health
    - How do you expect community health to impact your project
- Our product:
    - Feedback on our definition of community and roles / levels within it
    - Feedback on our features
    - Anything missing ?
    - Would it be valuable to them. How much would they be willing to pay for such a solution. Would they willing to invest in it now (while markets are in a slowdown and projects are trying to conserve cash). Would they be comfortable permitting it access to data
- Perceived community acceptance:
    - Do you think your community would appreciate such a solution
- What are the current top problems you are addressing for your DAO (see if community features in top 5). Can we immediately help with anything (check willingness and urgency to adopt)
- Next steps:
    - Should we connect with anyone else within the team
    - (if relevant) How do we approach grant /  sale. What steps

- Fabs’ suggestion [WIP]
    
    ## Sections
    
    1. Warm up
    2. Definitions and context
    3. Problems and Pains
    4. Failed experiments [optional]
    5. CA Commercial needs section
    6. Closing
    
    ---
    
    ### Warm Up
    
    **Objective**: get the respondent(s) to become more comfortable with the format, lay the groundwork for what we are looking for how we want to hear their views. 
    
    - Explaining what we are trying to achieve:
        - We are currently undertaking a project to help DAOs succeed. We think that the individuals who compose these new type of organisations are key to their success and we want to understand more about how they interact with each other, what we can learn from the quality of the relationships and the ‘community’ that is generated.
        - Respondent’s view is key: your view is going to really help us to shape our study and project. You have chosen to speak to you because…
    - **Understanding the respondent:**
        - experience in Web3
        - previous communities within Web3? Explore also communities outside Web3
        - how do they name and define their role in organisation?
        - How many communities do they see themselves to be a part of? link to following topic
            - (if more than one then select primary community and why)
    
    ### Definitions and context
    
    **Objective**: define some of the key aspects so that we can have a consistent point of comparison throughout the study. 
    
    - **Now thinking of all the communities you participate in general, how do you define:**
        - Community
        - what are the key elements that make or break a community?
        - How do you evaluate the performance, the health, of your own community?
        - Do you have any set metrics?
            - participants? length of time active? Geography of members? explore
        - How would you define a healthy community? What would an unhealthy community look like?
        - How would you define a successful community?
        - What do you see are the key aspects for a successful community?
    - **Understanding the key community —** Now I would like to focus a bit more our conversation. If you can think of the community that you oversee and mange specifically.
        - what is their relationship with the community and level of interaction with the community, how many hours communicating on average per week? link to following topic
    
    ### Problems and Pains
    
    **Objective**: We want to explore the key issues they feel with their community, problems, pain points that may help us to achieve a better perspective on their definition of community. 
    
    - Would you say that this community works perfectly? What would you say are the biggest challenges or problems you currently have with this community? Explore current pain points and problems
        - Explore aspects such as:
            - ability to get things done
            - success rate of activities
            - participation in events and meetings
            - ability to attract talent
            - ability to retain talent
            - the ‘culture’ aspect, such as feedbacks, conflicts, internal politics
    
    ### Failed Experiments
    
    **Objective**: Many people are VERY focused on the current state of their community but maybe there is something we can learn from the challenges and problems they have already overcome. This section is going to explore this. 
    
    - Now I would like you to think back to the very start of your community. Would you be able to recall the most important landmarks and challenges you have faced so far? explore
    - Often times we remember the wins, do you also remember the things that went wrong and what were some of the most important solutions you discovered to help you with these issues? explore
    
    ### CA Commercial Needs
    
    **Objective**: This section is focused on the product we are offering and how the responde interprets and would like to improve it. 
    
    - Alright! Now that we have gone through a journey from the start of your community to the challenges today I would like to share with you something we have been working on. specifically I would like to share with you:
        - Vision:
            - Definition of community and community health
            - What are the important things to measure for community health
            - How do you expect community health to impact your project
        - Our product:
            - Feedback on our definition of community and roles / levels within it
            - Feedback on our features
            - Anything missing ?
            - Would it be valuable to them. How much would they be willing to pay for such a solution. Would they willing to invest in it now (while markets are in a slowdown and projects are trying to conserve cash). Would they be comfortable permitting it access to data
    
    ### Closing
    
    **Objective**: Allow the respondent to say anything else, any other ideas and views which could be useful. 
    
    - Should we connect with anyone else within the team
    - (if relevant) How do we approach grant /  sale. What steps

[Call with Noam, DeepDAO](https://www.notion.so/Call-with-Noam-DeepDAO-4e2529b2b7404903b634ec22445a0147)




Reducing Noise -> Keyword Search