PIP-XX: Understanding and Improving ParaSwap DAO Governance- A proposal by DeepDAO

Governance Proposals
1

Abstract
This proposal aims to understand the defining characteristics of all ParaSwap DAO members, so that the DAO can prioritize initiatives, address voter fatigue and improve onboarding incentives. We offer to conduct a data-based segmentation of $PSP token holders, based on their interests and activity patterns. This can help develop targeted onboarding strategies and optimize governance processes to foster a more engaged and vibrant community.

Note that the goal is not to directly incentivize governance participation but to introduce genuine initiatives that make participation more attractive and useful to a wider audience.

Goals & review

Governance activity in different DAOs provides valuable insights into the characteristics and preferences of wallet holders. It serves as a window into their interests, motivations, and potential contributions.

For example, taking a closer look at 0xjean.eth, we observe a strong inclination towards identity products(from participation in DAOs like Proof of Humanity, Sismo, etc.) and Public Goods (from participation in DAOs like UBI DAO, Gitcoin, etc). This presents an opportunity for some other DAO 0xjean.eth is a member of to leverage this interest by introducing DAO participation badges or some initiative focused on public goods. These tangible incentives can not only recognize and reward active participants but also serve as a magnet for other enthusiasts with similar interests, encouraging their engagement and involvement in the DAO’s decision-making processes.

Similarly, we can identify other categories of mass interest and introduce new initiatives to the DAO. For instance, if there is a substantial segment of members expressing interest in data analysis or research, establishing a dedicated research guild could be a strategic move. Having understood that the 100s of $PSP token holders are looking for gig work, the DAO could open more avenues for contribution for these people.

This proposal aims to create interest and activity-based segmentation of $PSP token holders so that the DAO can find methods to retain and onboard new addresses to ParaSwap DAO’s governance. Armed with this knowledge, ParaSwap DAO can optimize its governance processes, create better onboarding flows, prioritize new initiatives, and foster a more vibrant and engaged community.

Goals:

  • Understand the interests and activity patterns of token holders through data segmentation.
  • Supply the necessary data and analysis to define effective onboarding strategies and foster a more engaged community.
  • Increase overall engagement and activity levels of $PSP token holders.

Metrics:

Success will be measured by the effectiveness of onboarding initiatives, increased voter participation from previously non-active segments, reduced attrition rates, and overall improvement in the engagement and activity levels of $PSP token holders.

Means

  • Funding request of $15,000 to support DeepDAO’s analysis and deliverables.
  • Utilize DeepDAO’s expertise in Web3 and governance for data analysis and segmentation.
  • Collaborate with ParaSwap DAO to define and implement onboarding initiatives.
  • Provide reports, CSV files, and a collaborative session for action planning.

Implementation Overview

Methodology:

The following high-level plan of action will be implemented to analyze the 5k+ $PSP token holders:

  1. Obtain the DAO resumes of all $PSP token holders, including granular activity and memberships, as aggregated by DeepDAO.
  2. Based on the obtained data, label each address’s interest, such as NFTs, DeFi, Investments, Gaming, gig work, etc. Interests will be defined by membership or activity in a DAO category above a certain threshold. Additionally, categorize their activity on ParaSwap DAO, including persistent voters, long-term dormant addresses, non-voters, past participants, addresses showing decreasing interest over time, and more.
  3. Repeat the segmentation process from step 2 with different interest/activity categories to optimize the segmentation. This will provide a well-segmented view of $PSP token holders, along with information on the size of each segment.
  4. Identify and label any bots or vote miners by leveraging recent research by DeepDAO, which has identified voting miners’ activity across the DAO ecosystem. This data will help identify potential malicious actors.
  5. Leverage DeepDAO’s domain expertise in Web3 and governance to collaborate with ParaSwap DAO in defining suitable incentives and onboarding steps for each segmented group.

Deliverables:

  1. Generate a comprehensive report analyzing all governance participants of ParaSwap DAO, including both active participants and non-active $PSP token holders. The report will provide insights into primary participants, the largest segments of active and inactive participants, and segments with the highest attrition/retention rates.
  2. Provide a CSV file containing the details of all $PSP token holders, including their categorized interests based on the DAOs they vote in.
  3. Conduct a brainstorming session with ParaSwap DAO, utilizing the information from steps 1 and 2, to develop an action plan for onboarding inactive segments of voters. Potential strategies could include introducing NFT badges for individuals interested in NFTs or establishing guilds for users seeking gig work opportunities.

Milestones

Milestone 1:

DeepDAO dives deeper into $PSP holders and finalizes the optimal labels & interest categories.
Time required: 4 weeks from the start of the project

Milestone 2:

DeepDAO hands over deliverables (1), (2) & (3)
Time required: 4 weeks from Milestone 1 completion

About DeepDAO

DeepDAO is the #1 discovery and analytics engine for the DAO ecosystem. We aggregate, list, and analyze financial and governance data for over 12.5k DAOs and 6.9M governance token holders across different chains and governance platforms. DeepDAO is widely recognized in the ecosystem and media as the go-to source for data about DAOs.

1 Like
2

Hello,

I’ve read and reread your proposal to try to understand the point of your process, but I don’t understand it.

Not all DAOs are the same and, above all, each user is going to be affected or not by a proposal/suggestion in relation to their expectations of the evolution of the protocol in which they operate.

An AAVE member may be logically interested in the financial side of AAVE, but will be keen to discuss the marketing side of emerging protocols or protocols that are having difficulty gaining visibility.

Furthermore, the purpose of a DAO is not to win over its IMO users. Its purpose is to provide a potential forum for brainstorming and, above all, for voting on ideas from outside parties.
Above all, we’re not here to try and please our members, but to help the protocol evolve as best we can. That said, improving Paraswap is bound to delight DAO members.

Your first post is there to propose a service that is supposed to improve the DAO Paraswap. So, in the end, you’re making proposals without any service identical to yours having been launched or previously launched by the DAO.
This is so much to show that the DAO Paraswap is open, willing to listen and attractive to anyone who wants to improve things.

So personally, I’m very sceptical about your process.
I’ll add that I’ve had a look at your site, which is very nice by the way, but I doubt that this compilation of data will improve Paraswap.

Thank you for your post.
Stik

1 Like
3

Hello aman, and thank you for your message.

If I understand your message correctly, the purpose of your grant application is to categorise DAO members in order to provide them with a service or reasons to become more involved in DAO ParaSwap.

I agree with you on one point, I think we’re all looking to grow the DAO membership and get people involved in the governance and overall life of the DAO.
Particularly at a time when the market is “complicated” and there are fewer of us overall in crypto than there were a few months ago.

My point of divergence is that your methods serve to categorise people and separate them into groups and then create initiatives to keep them.

Personally, and believing in the ParaSwap project, I think we need to do the opposite, bring people together rather than compartmentalising them.
Attract people from all walks of life around ParaSwap, its performance and social escrow. Make PSP2.0 a natural choice for users from all backgrounds, and avoid having to satisfy a particular need in order to attract and retain people.

I also agree with you about the need to know and listen to the community, but I prefer to let people express their needs on the discord or the governance forum rather than analysing and categorising them (even if this transparency is the beauty of blockchain!).

You’ll understand that I’m not personally attracted to your proposal at first sight. I’ll leave it to the other members of the community to express their feelings.

Thanks again for your message!

1 Like
4

Thanks for your comments, @Albist & @stikers

I think we need to do the opposite, bring people together rather than compartmentalising them.

100%. And I think this proposal basically does just that - find ways to get more people involved long term in the DAO. If we know the people better, the DAO can prioritize initiatives and create better onboarding flows. It could also greatly improve communications. For example, you could write to them and say “We would really like to talk to you because of your specific interests in x, y, z. DeepDAO identified you as possible contributor for our subteams X, Y, Z. Let us work together. Please contact x@paraswap.network.

Another thing to note is that at present, the DAO may not have the best picture of all its members. Apart from the members that are active on Discord and forum, ideas and preferences of other people may be currently going unheard. Initiatives focused on them has the potential to bridge this gap and onboard those people to the DAO.

we’re not here to try and please our members, but to help the protocol evolve as best we can.

I can relate to this. Ultimately, we are trying to develop the best version of a product. Even though this proposal is not directly about improving the core infrastructure, it could be a major advantage in doing so. You could use the data to find the right beta-testers, analyze the viability of certain working groups and who to reach out to, and at the end of the day have a stronger and more vibrant community committed to the product’s success.