# Introduction
### A Network of Problem Solvers

Humans are problem solvers. We want to make meaning every day by solving problems we face, both individually and in collaboration with others. With our families and friends, in our communities, and with the organizations where we work, we solve problems all the time.

We recognize global, unsolved problems, like climate change, food insecurity, and poverty. Have you ever thought of these problems as "too big" to solve? If so, you are not alone. At certain scales, our collective problem solving capacity seems to break down. Why?

It is not inevitable that our capacity for problem solving should degrade at scale. It is only a symptom indicating that our systems do not yet work well enough to allow us to solve our biggest problems. It is possible to adjust these systems.

The purpose of this paper is to show how the world's current operating system (OS) puts a hard limit on the scope of problems that people can solve, and then to suggest a way to change that. We will show how three problems - [The Education Problem](/lx5ktf9QTBytnB8LC2EHMA), [The Organization Problem](/fbsCsbnhSgO1RTJuTF72Og), and [The Oracle Problem](/_Q0mNyZ6TjibX5vmfW8C-w) - are all connected.

Then, we will show how interwoven changes to the way we educate, organize, and share information can expand our global problem solving capacity in a future where no problem feels too big.

# Introducing Andamio

## Purpose
***The purpose of Andamio is to increase the capacity of all people to collaborate in solving big problems. Andamio is built for anyone who wants to learn enough to contribute to breakthrough projects, and it is built for organizations seeking new ways to collaborate by sharing resources and decentralizing decision-making power.***

## Mission
***Our mission is to support people to learn, organize, and share information enough to solve big problems.***

## Vision
***We envision a world where people are inspired to solve big problems, audacious enough to know they can, and empowered enough to take action.***

## Our Hypothesis:
### The current global Operating System limits human problem solving capacity

When we use computers, we can name our operating system: Windows, Linux or MacOS, Android or iOS. Different operating systems have different advantages, and each facilitates a different set of options. Some operating systems limit our options in order to maximize security. Others offer convenience but can be prone to vulnerabilities.

> What's hiding inside each of our organizations is a set of assumptions that we rarely notice or reconsider. We've inherited them from those who came before us. These assumptions, and the practices they inspire, are kind of like an *operating system* (OS), running silently in the background, the foundation upon which everything else is built.
>
> Operating systems are all around us.
>
> Aaron Dignan, [*Brave New Work*](https://www.bravenewwork.com/)

Our global OS limits our collective problem solving capacity. If we want to solve big problems, we must be ready to update our operating system in a way that makes it more likely that we'll solve big problems. In order to do so, we must acknowledge complexity: no problem exists in isolation, and no person can solve big problems alone. Connections are everywhere.

One way to acknowledge complexity is to define a set of problems and to notice connections between them. Then, a diagnostic picture of an dynamic, living system can emerge. You might choose other problems as a starting point for your work - and that's a good thing. Andamio is built by people working to the upgrade of our global systems, just like you. We are not alone.

Andamio is built to drive solutions to these problems:

1. [The Education Problem](/lx5ktf9QTBytnB8LC2EHMA): People want to learn. People want to contribute to meaningful projects and to solve relevant problems. We can re-orient our education system toward meaning and relevance by applying principles of mastery, collaboration, and project-based learning.
2. [The Organization Problem](/fbsCsbnhSgO1RTJuTF72Og): Organizations should solve problems. Often, when organizations scale, they orient away from problem solving. What if organizations were incentivized to grow only as much as necessary to solve big problems?
3. [The Oracle Problem](/_Q0mNyZ6TjibX5vmfW8C-w): Collaboration requires trust. Often, when people are confronted with a deluge of information, they struggle to make sense of it and to establish trust. What if people always had enough relevant, trusted information to take meaningful action?

### In this paper we will:
- Define the three problems, and introduce the key concepts applied in the Andamio Platform.
- Show why the problems are connected and are best addressed together, not in isolation.
- Show how Andamio provides tools for addressing these problems in new, impactful ways.
- Describe the Andamio Platform, our plans for continuing to build it, and how you can start to use it.