Global Action Connection Project Proposal
How many times have you conducted an interview or published an article that concludes by referring your audience to a website, Facebook page, etc. for more information? Your viewer or listener may write it down, but more likely they do not. Your reader may visit the site, but sending people to a website perpetuates the inefficiencies of siloed information – it keeps the focus on the tools instead of the results.
Suppose, instead, you could consistently refer your audience to a single, trusted source where they could also not only access your recent reference, but also access recent interviews and relevant articles as well as contact information for other groups and individuals currently engaged in these causes. There would be links to more articles, interviews, transcripts and information and, most importantly, information specific to supporting the cause or action the guest is working to advance.(2)
GAC will unite the efforts of individuals and organizations into a more powerful tool to accomplish greater outcomes.
By my estimation there are scores of potential Sponsors, hundreds of potential Contributors and hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of potential Visitors and Registered Users.(3)
GAC’s Mission:
Our mission is to promote public engagement in support of actions and organizations working for a global civilization that is environmentally sustainable, socially just, politically representative and economically fair and stable. We want to increase the coordination between organizations with shared goals.
Background:
Global Action Connection represents an unfilled need in the arena of organizing and acting for a more just society and sustainable world.
Currently, learning about actions in specific places or around particular issues is a hit-and-miss prospect. If you happen to be viewing or listening to the right program at the right time – or are among the right group of people – you may hear about these things. Delving deeper presents further difficulties and effort. Relevant, trustworthy information about the causes you care about and the organizations that promote them is highly fragmented.
There are a myriad websites and Facebook pages representing a broad spectrum of important and relevant individuals and organizations.(4) The impact of these entities for positive change is in direct proportion to their level of public support. GAC will provide a service specifically designed increase their impact by making it easy for the public to engage with and support these entities.
It is well known that the greater the effort, the less the response. GAC will bring these isolated sites and sources under one umbrella that connects them not only with the public, but with each other, enhancing the strength of our movement. GAC will make it easy for its users to find, keep track of, and follow up on the actions and information that interest them.
Instances become movements when they work together across distances to coordinate and refine their methods and actions. GAC will provide a ready-made point of contact between disparate actions that will rapidly transform and empower them to achieve far more than they could acting alone.
Benefits:
To Registered Users:
I am an experienced business systems architect, database designer and project manager with an extensive track-record of successful projects for major corporations and start-ups in Silicon Valley and elsewhere. I hold an MBA from the U-Mass, Amherst, and a Masters in Education and Psychology from Sonoma State University.(5) In 2010 I founded the Whidbey Island chapter of the Citizens Climate Lobby. In 2014 my wife and I founded Occupy South Whidbey.
My Board of Advisors currently consists of:
Design and Development Phase Objectives:
One thing for sure about this app is that it has to hit the ground running and be immediately useful and valuable. This fact determines the technology and design and, in turn, development and operational costs. The Sponsors and Contributors and Users need to adopt it with enthusiasm right out of the box.
To accomplish this we will need to:
1. Enlist the support of major entities in the progressive media, along with other influencers in the social, political and environmental arenas, for consultation and support with:
3. Define business rules and data requirements
4. Define administrative and staffing requirements
5. Prepare cost and financial estimates and documentation
6. Plot project timeline
7. Create Project Charter, including
9. Staff and launch the site
As the site gains traction and becomes established among its subscribers, contributors and sponsors, its uses will broaden. Whereas in the beginning new users will be directed to the site via Sponsor announcements, later users, having personalized their site profile, will go to their directly. They will subscribe to its email notifications. They will find and attend local actions and events and support more distant ones. GAC will become the information center of their activism.
Development Methodology:
Project Management: My project management skill set includes traditional waterfall and Agile methods. I am trained in and proficient with the Oracle project management Tasks and Deliverables as well as the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) methods. My management style is participatory and, once the project is underway, my focus is on the timely communication of goals and removing obstacles to my team members' success.
Application Architecture: This is a complex application requiring a robust, highly scalable and extensible architecture. NoSQL databases and the Java-based development tools offer the best solutions to meet these needs.
Software Development: Specific development organization and plans will be designed to meet needs and funding resources determined later in the project cycle.
Development Resources:
The Seattle area is rich in software development resources, due to its proximity to some of the largest and most successful high-tech companies in the world. Furthermore, Seattle is “...notorious for being one of the most progressive cities in the country.” 6 I live about forty miles north of Seattle, on Whidbey Island, with easy access to the entire Seattle metropolitan area. This makes the Seattle area ideal for securing the human and technical resources required for this project. I am also experienced in managing projects involving remote resources and stakeholders as far away as Ireland and Japan.
Costs/Budget:
The functional requirements have not been finalized. While some features may be phased in over time, to assure its adoption and success it must have a sufficient set of features. Given the level of service we propose, this is a complex application. Based on my experience and in consultation with my Advisers, I estimate that this application will take between 6 and 9 months to build, at a cost of about $20,000 per month.
Sources of Funds - development phase
Sponsor support
I expect initial development will to be funded by a variety of groups, businesses and individuals having an interest in its successful instantiation. Primary among these would be our “Sponsors” – entities and individuals who have read this Proposal and are committed to working together to guarantee the success of this project. These entities would be known to each other. They would be invited to join our Advisory Board or other management structures and participate in the design and features of the service as well as our organization as a whole.
Go Fund Me
Having gained initial traction we would consider a Go Fund Me campaign. To optimize our Go Fund Me success we would want to first assemble an initial set of contributors poised to respond to our offering on the day of its launch, thus stimulating the services algorithms to place our funding request at the top of the stack.
Operating Phase Funding
Ongoing operations would be funded by three groups:
From a variety of perspectives, it may be most confluent with the GAC mission to operate as a non-profit. That said, we should not ignore the fact that the service may generate opportunities for monetization which might meet our standards and be self-defeating to ignore.
Our first step in incorporation will be as an LLC, then, guided by our Sponsors, choose which form of incorporation best serves our purpose.
Risks and Mitigations:
Time to Market
To me, the need – and hence the demand – for this service is obvious. If we don't create it, someone else will. Will another entity fill this need with the level of altruism, dedication and vision that we have? Or will it be subjected to the pervasive commercialization, exploitation and lack of focus that has affected so many other highly successful web-based applications.
Demand
On the other hand it is possible that I have over-estimated the demand for this service. The measure of this will, in part, be determined by your response to this proposal. I have assembled a list of potential Contributors and will be inviting them to respond to the questionnaire on this site.
Safety and Security
By any standard, the data on this site will be sensitive, and the site will inevitably draw the attention of government and non-governmental entities and individuals who are threatened by its mission. Registered Users, in turn, will be concerned about the safety and security of their data.
At a minimum, GAC will conform to the regulatory standards of the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). In addition, as a new build we have the opportunity to implement the most effective protections from hacking. Further, we will explore available methods for protecting our data from government intrusion. These methods may include encryption and, as a final resort, deletion.
Access to metadata may be controlled based on its sensitivity and possible negative impact on Contributors. We may be forced to evaluate trade-offs between the availability of data and the impact of that availability on the safety and security of our stakeholders.
Conclusion:
Given the exigencies of today we must develop new ways to strengthen our resistance and promote social, environmental, political and economic justice. If properly designed, developed, promoted and supported, the Global Action Connection application would significantly strengthen our ability to resist and overcome the injustice around us.
Footnotes:
1) Global Action Connection is a working title. I control www.globalactionconnection.com and .org.. This name is intended to emphasize the global capacity of the service. On the other hand, the site is designed to serve local efforts and engagement equally well. The domain names actionconnections.com/org and socialjusticeconnection.com/org are currently available. What do you think? Can you think of a better name?
2) Visitors might access this information in a variety of ways:
4) There are also a handful of online resources that list large numbers of these entities and provide links to their websites.
5) My resume is available here
6) “Has Seattle always been so progressive?” Caroline Chamberlain Gomez, Jan. 24, 2017 https://www.kuow.org/stories/has-seattle-always-been-so-progressive
Suppose, instead, you could consistently refer your audience to a single, trusted source where they could also not only access your recent reference, but also access recent interviews and relevant articles as well as contact information for other groups and individuals currently engaged in these causes. There would be links to more articles, interviews, transcripts and information and, most importantly, information specific to supporting the cause or action the guest is working to advance.(2)
GAC will unite the efforts of individuals and organizations into a more powerful tool to accomplish greater outcomes.
- Contributors will be trusted, vetted individuals and organizations
- Postings and links will be current and up-to-date
- The site will be monitored by editorial staff and by the users themselves
- Social media elements will support networking, connection and coordination between users and organizations world-wide
- Registered Users can construct their own home pages with the organizations and causes they care about and updates on what matters most to them
- A robust and sophisticated search capability will support user directed queries
By my estimation there are scores of potential Sponsors, hundreds of potential Contributors and hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of potential Visitors and Registered Users.(3)
GAC’s Mission:
Our mission is to promote public engagement in support of actions and organizations working for a global civilization that is environmentally sustainable, socially just, politically representative and economically fair and stable. We want to increase the coordination between organizations with shared goals.
Background:
Global Action Connection represents an unfilled need in the arena of organizing and acting for a more just society and sustainable world.
Currently, learning about actions in specific places or around particular issues is a hit-and-miss prospect. If you happen to be viewing or listening to the right program at the right time – or are among the right group of people – you may hear about these things. Delving deeper presents further difficulties and effort. Relevant, trustworthy information about the causes you care about and the organizations that promote them is highly fragmented.
There are a myriad websites and Facebook pages representing a broad spectrum of important and relevant individuals and organizations.(4) The impact of these entities for positive change is in direct proportion to their level of public support. GAC will provide a service specifically designed increase their impact by making it easy for the public to engage with and support these entities.
It is well known that the greater the effort, the less the response. GAC will bring these isolated sites and sources under one umbrella that connects them not only with the public, but with each other, enhancing the strength of our movement. GAC will make it easy for its users to find, keep track of, and follow up on the actions and information that interest them.
Instances become movements when they work together across distances to coordinate and refine their methods and actions. GAC will provide a ready-made point of contact between disparate actions that will rapidly transform and empower them to achieve far more than they could acting alone.
Benefits:
To Registered Users:
- A single point of access to global events, actions and organizations focused on positive change
- Personalized accounts focused on the actions, organizations, categories or geographical areas, etc. that interest them the most
- Forums, comments, networking
- Connecting with local groups and organizations
- Notification of upcoming events and actions
- Extensive search capabilities
- Metadata and research
- Benefits to Registered Users, plus
- Increased membership, support, sponsorship for projects
- Publicity for upcoming events and actions
- Increased awareness of, and connection with, like-minded people and organizations
- Metadata and research
- Expanded audience for research and writings
- Programs and services will be prominently featured, creating greater awareness and resulting in increased audiences
- Access to valuable metadata regarding the current state of targeted actions around the world
- Quick and efficient access to critical information on emerging locations and events.
- Built-in statistical and data mining tools
- Research for future programs on emerging topics
I am an experienced business systems architect, database designer and project manager with an extensive track-record of successful projects for major corporations and start-ups in Silicon Valley and elsewhere. I hold an MBA from the U-Mass, Amherst, and a Masters in Education and Psychology from Sonoma State University.(5) In 2010 I founded the Whidbey Island chapter of the Citizens Climate Lobby. In 2014 my wife and I founded Occupy South Whidbey.
My Board of Advisors currently consists of:
- Daniel M. Klein -- A highly accomplished Software Architect (retired)
- Diarmad MacIan -- A highly skilled Programmer specializing in web-based applications using the NoSQL database on a Java stack
Design and Development Phase Objectives:
One thing for sure about this app is that it has to hit the ground running and be immediately useful and valuable. This fact determines the technology and design and, in turn, development and operational costs. The Sponsors and Contributors and Users need to adopt it with enthusiasm right out of the box.
To accomplish this we will need to:
1. Enlist the support of major entities in the progressive media, along with other influencers in the social, political and environmental arenas, for consultation and support with:
- organizational strategy
- application functions, features and design
- funding
- marketing and publicity
3. Define business rules and data requirements
4. Define administrative and staffing requirements
5. Prepare cost and financial estimates and documentation
6. Plot project timeline
7. Create Project Charter, including
- identification of stakeholders
- scope definition
- risk assessments and mitigations
9. Staff and launch the site
As the site gains traction and becomes established among its subscribers, contributors and sponsors, its uses will broaden. Whereas in the beginning new users will be directed to the site via Sponsor announcements, later users, having personalized their site profile, will go to their directly. They will subscribe to its email notifications. They will find and attend local actions and events and support more distant ones. GAC will become the information center of their activism.
Development Methodology:
Project Management: My project management skill set includes traditional waterfall and Agile methods. I am trained in and proficient with the Oracle project management Tasks and Deliverables as well as the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) methods. My management style is participatory and, once the project is underway, my focus is on the timely communication of goals and removing obstacles to my team members' success.
Application Architecture: This is a complex application requiring a robust, highly scalable and extensible architecture. NoSQL databases and the Java-based development tools offer the best solutions to meet these needs.
Software Development: Specific development organization and plans will be designed to meet needs and funding resources determined later in the project cycle.
Development Resources:
The Seattle area is rich in software development resources, due to its proximity to some of the largest and most successful high-tech companies in the world. Furthermore, Seattle is “...notorious for being one of the most progressive cities in the country.” 6 I live about forty miles north of Seattle, on Whidbey Island, with easy access to the entire Seattle metropolitan area. This makes the Seattle area ideal for securing the human and technical resources required for this project. I am also experienced in managing projects involving remote resources and stakeholders as far away as Ireland and Japan.
Costs/Budget:
The functional requirements have not been finalized. While some features may be phased in over time, to assure its adoption and success it must have a sufficient set of features. Given the level of service we propose, this is a complex application. Based on my experience and in consultation with my Advisers, I estimate that this application will take between 6 and 9 months to build, at a cost of about $20,000 per month.
Sources of Funds - development phase
Sponsor support
I expect initial development will to be funded by a variety of groups, businesses and individuals having an interest in its successful instantiation. Primary among these would be our “Sponsors” – entities and individuals who have read this Proposal and are committed to working together to guarantee the success of this project. These entities would be known to each other. They would be invited to join our Advisory Board or other management structures and participate in the design and features of the service as well as our organization as a whole.
Go Fund Me
Having gained initial traction we would consider a Go Fund Me campaign. To optimize our Go Fund Me success we would want to first assemble an initial set of contributors poised to respond to our offering on the day of its launch, thus stimulating the services algorithms to place our funding request at the top of the stack.
Operating Phase Funding
Ongoing operations would be funded by three groups:
- Sponsors
- Contributors
- Registered Users and Visitors
From a variety of perspectives, it may be most confluent with the GAC mission to operate as a non-profit. That said, we should not ignore the fact that the service may generate opportunities for monetization which might meet our standards and be self-defeating to ignore.
Our first step in incorporation will be as an LLC, then, guided by our Sponsors, choose which form of incorporation best serves our purpose.
Risks and Mitigations:
Time to Market
To me, the need – and hence the demand – for this service is obvious. If we don't create it, someone else will. Will another entity fill this need with the level of altruism, dedication and vision that we have? Or will it be subjected to the pervasive commercialization, exploitation and lack of focus that has affected so many other highly successful web-based applications.
Demand
On the other hand it is possible that I have over-estimated the demand for this service. The measure of this will, in part, be determined by your response to this proposal. I have assembled a list of potential Contributors and will be inviting them to respond to the questionnaire on this site.
Safety and Security
By any standard, the data on this site will be sensitive, and the site will inevitably draw the attention of government and non-governmental entities and individuals who are threatened by its mission. Registered Users, in turn, will be concerned about the safety and security of their data.
At a minimum, GAC will conform to the regulatory standards of the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). In addition, as a new build we have the opportunity to implement the most effective protections from hacking. Further, we will explore available methods for protecting our data from government intrusion. These methods may include encryption and, as a final resort, deletion.
Access to metadata may be controlled based on its sensitivity and possible negative impact on Contributors. We may be forced to evaluate trade-offs between the availability of data and the impact of that availability on the safety and security of our stakeholders.
Conclusion:
Given the exigencies of today we must develop new ways to strengthen our resistance and promote social, environmental, political and economic justice. If properly designed, developed, promoted and supported, the Global Action Connection application would significantly strengthen our ability to resist and overcome the injustice around us.
Footnotes:
1) Global Action Connection is a working title. I control www.globalactionconnection.com and .org.. This name is intended to emphasize the global capacity of the service. On the other hand, the site is designed to serve local efforts and engagement equally well. The domain names actionconnections.com/org and socialjusticeconnection.com/org are currently available. What do you think? Can you think of a better name?
2) Visitors might access this information in a variety of ways:
- standard search field
- decision tree/drill-down tool
- Google Earth map using placemarks
4) There are also a handful of online resources that list large numbers of these entities and provide links to their websites.
5) My resume is available here
6) “Has Seattle always been so progressive?” Caroline Chamberlain Gomez, Jan. 24, 2017 https://www.kuow.org/stories/has-seattle-always-been-so-progressive