We are working on creating a Pattern Language to assist currency designers in creating systems to support healthy flows in their communities.

To this end we are creating Pattern Cards to illustrate recommendations for various situations and solutions for various problems you may be attempting to solve.

Definitions

market (place)

requires: 1. currency; means to measure 2. interaction 3. demand; need being met, problem solved.

social critter

Formal system

agreement among parts of social critter is what creates a formalized system visible to relevant parts of the social critter

Currency

A Formal system for shaping, enabling and measuring currents (flows).

Token

unit of currency

Currency Token Life Cycle

A currency system defines these stages for its constituent tokens.  Sometimes the rules may be to skip that stage.  For example, most reputation currencies (such ...

create new definition

Currency Pattern Cards

Biorhythms: dynamic systems often have cycles

Biorhythms: dynamic systems often have cycles

 

Assumption

+assumption  

Condition

+condition  

Recommendation

build for variance / sleep cycles.  

Next steps

+next steps  

Notes

Formalization methods

Formalization methods

 

Assumption

certain kinds of flows match certain methods. currency maps between flow and social critter.  

Condition

+condition  

Recommendation

choose formalization consonant with (mperative) that work for group and works with the flow itself. chose projection  

Next steps

 

Notes

Fulfill Multiple Purposes

Fulfill Multiple Purposes

 

Assumption

flows require (opposing, complementary) forces  

Condition

+condition  

Recommendation

when addressing a need/problem, find additional dimension/force to drive cycle (connect previously disconnected needs and resources)  

Next steps

 

Notes

Multi-purpose interactions

Multi-purpose interactions

 

Assumption

there's participation cost to any currency (people want the real thing not the shadow of it)  

Condition

+condition  

Recommendation

have each interaction fulfill multiple purposes.  

Next steps

 

Notes

reflexivity

reflexivity

 

Assumption

models & interactions change the space of interactions & possibilities  

Condition

+condition  

Recommendation

models of reflexive systems must adapt to new behaviors of the system.  

Next steps

 

Notes

commons

commons

 

Assumption

all real property derives from the commons & is sourced to everyone  

Condition

+condition  

Recommendation

a new understanding of property & ownership connecting to collectives.  

Next steps

 

Notes

Lifecycle

Lifecycle

 

Assumption

a currency defines a life-cycle of it's constituent tokens  

Condition

+condition  

Recommendation

should define rules that address at least phases of: issuance, transacton, conversion/co-function, redemption/retirement.  

Next steps

 

Notes

Build to Scale

Build to Scale

 

Assumption

Keep the process smplified down to the size of your community.  

Condition

+condition  

Recommendation

Use physcal/visible tokens for small tight groups..add metrics, electronic tracking, complexity as necessary to encompass scale.  

Next steps

 

Notes

Polychromal Markets

Polychromal Markets

 

Assumption

If you create an abstraction of value, people wll use it in unexpected ways.  

Condition

+condition  

Recommendation

+recommendation  

Next steps

+next steps  

Notes

selective visibility - searchability

selective visibility - searchability

 

Assumption

+assumption  

Condition

+condition  

Recommendation

omit search/ranking mechanisms that could promote unhealthy dynamics.  

Next steps

+next steps  

Notes

Chaordic Structure

Chaordic Structure

 

Assumption

Too much control suppresses creativity and participation  

Condition

Design Phase Reducing Barriers to Adoption Usage of System is Declining Increasing Stakeholder Interest  

Recommendation

Push whatever decisions and intelligence our to self-managing groups or individual participants (that you can wthout compromiding the system integrity)  

Next steps

 

Notes

surface area

surface area

 

Assumption

+assumption  

Condition

+condition  

Recommendation

+recommendation  

Next steps

+next steps  

Notes

+notes

Relevance to stakeholders

Relevance to stakeholders

 

Assumption

ideology is not sufficient for adoption  

Condition

+condition  

Recommendation

serve greatest needs of the community  

Next steps

+next steps  

Notes

condition/stage: design phase   Stakeholders are those targetted participants and designers

establish credibility

establish credibility

 

Assumption

having a system that works is insufficient for adoption  

Condition

+condition  

Recommendation

attract well known & trusted partners, standard bearers.  ( governmental agencies, prominent businesses )  

Next steps

 

Notes

Adapt or Die

Adapt or Die

 

Assumption

Currencies should not outlive their usefulness  

Condition

+condition  

Recommendation

Adadt the currency to new needs, problems or goals, or wind it donw.  Alter redeemability options, reach newly targeted audiences  

Next steps

 

Notes

create a new pattern card