A new social subsystem
What is this?
The Social Subsystem describes how people in a Smartup organize, collaborate, and make decisions together. It replaces hierarchical management and fragmented teams with a decentralized system of shared ownership, trust-based roles, and mutual accountability. This subsystem creates the social architecture needed to build technology in a way that's fair, resilient, and aligned with the public good.
Just give me the abstract
In this new design for a the Social Subsystem redesigns how people work together by introducing democratic governance, peer support structures, and fluid identity protocols. Instead of traditional management, Smartups rely on a balance between autonomy, discipline, and mission-alignment — enforced not by authority, but by structure. Contributors operate in role-based groups, make collective decisions using the ADM Triangle, and support each other through systems like the Buddy Program. This model aims to unlock large-scale collaboration by treating contributors as citizens — not employees — in a shared mission to build public-interest technology.
The Architecture of a Smartup¶
Definition:
A Smartup creates trustworthy digital tools that help people—and the communities they form—become more resilient, resourceful, and effective in advancing the SDGs.
At its core, every Smartup is built like a rocket: a solid foundation, three structural pillars, and a sharp point of execution.
The Foundation (Our Fuel)¶
- Science
Every tool we create is grounded in facts, evidence, and tested knowledge. The problems we tackle are science-proven, and solutions must stand up to real-world scrutiny. - Democracy
Our process and decisions are open and participatory. Everyone has a voice and a vote—no gated hierarchies, no closed rooms. - Collective IQ
We are smarter together. All skills and ideas are pooled so we solve more, faster, and with better results than any one person or small group could alone.
The Three Pillars (Our Structure)¶
-
Collective Ownership
Everyone who joins and contributes is an equal owner. There are no founders, investors, or external shareholders—just people “in it” together.
--8<-- "_snippets/smartup-ownership-meaning.md"
--8<-- "_snippets/the-book-of-owners.md" -
Collective Craftsmanship
All work and effort are shared—teams build, improve, and sustain everything the Smartup delivers. Value is earned by doing, not by owning capital. -
Collective Governance
Decision-making and oversight are for everyone. Every contributor holds both rights and responsibilities for what the Smartup does and how it does it.
Our Modus Operandi¶
- Military Execution
While we are democratic in nature, we are military in execution. When the General Forum sets a target, the Workplace hits it with precision. Clear chains of command, proven processes like the buddy system, and professional discipline ensure we don't just talk about change—we deliver it.
Why a rocket?
A Smartup is a vehicle for change. The foundation powers us, the pillars keep us stable, and military execution cuts through obstacles. Together, these elements create an organization that can actually reach its destination: a world where digital tools serve collective human needs.
The 4 Phases of Creation - The Habitat of a Smartup¶
What is this?
Every Smartup grows through four clear, community-driven phases. This rhythm—from first idea to real-world launch—ensures that only validated, sustainable, and well-governed solutions reach the market. At every step, the decision to move forward belongs to the entire Smartup community.
-
Phase 1: Validation
The Question: "Does the world need this?"
Entrepreneurs and early adopters rally a vibrant community around a solution, showing real traction in people and resources.Thresholds to advance:
- [ ] Financial target reached
- [ ] Official Smartup Business Plan ready
- [ ] Leadership Team formed
- [ ] Majority community vote -
Phase 2: Design
The Question: "How can we build this sustainably and efficiently?"
Contributors create blueprints through open collaboration, with rigorous scientific review before development begins.Thresholds to advance:
- [ ] Financial target reached
- [ ] Design Blueprint delivered
- [ ] Science Team review passed
- [ ] Majority community vote -
Phase 3: Production
The Focus: From thinking to building
The community creates an MVP, tests with real citizens, and prepares for launch after scientific and market validation.Thresholds to advance:
- [ ] Financial target reached
- [ ] Version 1.0 beta tested
- [ ] Market assessment complete
- [ ] Majority community vote -
Phase 4: Organization
The Goal: Ready for the world
Build the team and structure for market launch. Executive team chosen, legal framework set, always with community validation.Thresholds for launch:
- [ ] Financial target reached
- [ ] Executive team formed
- [ ] Final Business Plan ready
- [ ] Majority community vote
The Common Thread
Notice how each phase requires four key elements:
1. Financial sustainability – Resources to continue
2. Concrete deliverable – Something tangible produced
3. Expert validation – Scientific or market review
4. Democratic approval – The community decides
This ensures what's being built is wanted, sound, and fully owned by the community at every step.
flowchart TB
V[🔍 Validation<br/><sub>Prove demand</sub>]
D[📐 Design<br/><sub>Create blueprint</sub>]
P[🔨 Production<br/><sub>Build & test</sub>]
O[🚀 Organization<br/><sub>Launch ready</sub>]
V -.->|Community Vote| D
D -.->|Community Vote| P
P -.->|Community Vote| O
O ==>|To Market!| M[🌍]
style V stroke:#ffd23f,stroke-width:3px
style D stroke:#ffd23f,stroke-width:3px
style P stroke:#ffd23f,stroke-width:3px
style O stroke:#ffd23f,stroke-width:3px
style M stroke:#8bc34a,stroke-width:3pxWhy these phases?
Each phase ensures what’s being built is wanted, sound, and fully owned by the community before advancing. Built-in checkpoints—majority votes and scientific reviews—keep momentum aligned with trust and quality at every step.
Next: See how Smartup teams, roles, and workflows make collective building a reality.
Continue to Anatomy & Workflows
The Smartup Organism¶
What is this?
To create real, relevant technology, a Smartup can’t just be a loose network—it needs to be a productive, living system. But if nobody has absolute power—not even a CEO—how do decisions get made and meaningful work actually happen? The answer: the Smartup is a new kind of “organism” built for collective intelligence and self-organization.
Democratic by Nature, Military in Execution¶
A Smartup is a unique sociotechnical organism that combines democratic governance with military-precision execution. This hybrid design solves a fundamental challenge: how to maintain collective ownership while actually getting things done.
The Design Principle
We are democratic where it matters most: In the General Forum, every citizen has equal voice, equal vote, equal responsibility. Here we decide WHAT we build and WHY—our mission, values, and strategic direction.
We are disciplined where speed matters: In the Workplace, we apply military-inspired command structures and proven operational processes. Here we decide HOW we build—with clear roles, accountability, and chains of command.
Learning from Failed Models
Pure Democracy Everywhere = Endless debates, nothing ships
Pure Hierarchy Everywhere = Mission drift, worker alienation
Our Hybrid = Collective ownership + Professional execution
Smartup Anatomy¶
If you could slice a Smartup open, you’d see something that looks more like a living ecosystem than a traditional corporate pyramid. Instead of strict hierarchy and top-down control, power and responsibility are distributed through a holacratic structure: nested groups, each supporting the whole.
“Holacracy is a new way of structuring and running your organization that replaces the conventional management hierarchy. Instead of top-down, power is distributed throughout, giving individuals and teams more freedom to self-manage, while staying aligned to the organization’s purpose.”
— holacracy.org
In a Smartup, these circles are groups—each one crucial for the whole, each one depending on—and empowering—the next.
The Six Groups of Productivity¶
A Smartup is designed so that all ownership, work, and governance flow through six nested groups.
Think of them as a set of Russian dolls: each group contains smaller subgroups, but all belong to the "mother" at the center, the General Forum.
-
1. General Forum
The heart of the Smartup
All citizens (owners) gather here to discuss, propose, vote, and oversee everything. It's the public square for collective direction and accountability.
Members: All Smartup owners
Moderated by: Leadership Team -
2. Workplace
The production engine
Citizens with a work license join to build what matters. Here, talk turns into action: plans become teams, teams build real things.
Members: All workers (colleagues)
Moderated by: Leadership Team -
3. Teams
Home base for specialized work
Every worker joins at least one team—design, development, business. Teams focus effort and harness specific skills toward shared goals.
Members: Workers in same team (teammates)
Moderated by: Team Captain -
4. Roles
How you contribute
In each team, workers apply for roles that fit their talents—UX designer, developer, communicator. Roles define responsibility and access.
Members: Workers with same role (peers)
Moderated by: Team Captain -
5. Objectives
What's to be achieved
Teams progress by accomplishing specific missions, like "Create Android app front-end." Each objective unites multiple roles.
Members: Workers on same objective (squad)
Moderated by: Mission Leader -
6. Tasks
Where work happens
The smallest—and most important—unit. Tasks create measurable progress. Complete task, create value, get rewarded.
Members: Assigned workers
Moderated by: Mission Leader
The Nested Structure
Each group lives within the one above it:
- General Forum contains → Workplace
- Workplace contains → Teams
- Teams contain → Roles
- Roles work on → Objectives
- Objectives break into → Tasks
This creates clear accountability chains while maintaining democratic oversight at the top.
The Metabolism - How a Smartup Lives and Breathes¶
What is this?
If the 6 Groups show a Smartup's anatomy (structure), the metabolism shows how it actually functions—how we communicate, make decisions, and get work done through the ADM Triangle system powered by the buddy system.
When we examine a Smartup as a living organism, we need to understand not just its structure, but how it sustains itself. Just as a body needs circulation and digestion, a Smartup needs processes for communication, decision-making, and documentation. This is where we discover the ADM Triangle—the metabolic engine that powers every interaction.
The Buddy System: Never Work Alone¶
At the core of our metabolism lies a simple but powerful principle borrowed from military operations: you never work alone. In a Smartup, every task, every decision, every action involves at least two people working in partnership.
Why Buddies Matter
The buddy system serves multiple vital functions:
- Accountability: Freedom with responsibility
- Support: Help when stuck or overwhelmed
- Quality: Built-in peer review
- Learning: Juniors learn by observing seniors
- Resilience: No single point of failure
The Learning Loop
What makes our buddy system special is that it's designed as a learning mechanism:
graph LR
J[Junior Role<br/><sub>Defender/Assistant</sub>]
S[Senior Role<br/><sub>Attacker/Worker</sub>]
T[Task Execution]
L[Learning & Growth]
S -->|Performs| T
J -->|Observes & Assists| T
T -->|Creates| L
L -->|Promotes| J
J -.->|Becomes| S The 90/10 Split: When a task is completed:
- Worker (Senior) receives 90% of the budget
- Assistant (Junior) receives 10%
This isn't just payment for monitoring—it's investment in developing the next generation of senior contributors.
The ADM Triangle: Our Operating System¶
Building on the buddy system, every interaction in a Smartup follows the Attacker, Defender, Midfielder (ADM) pattern:
graph TD
A[Attacker/Senior<br/><sub>Drives action forward</sub>]
D[Defender/Junior<br/><sub>Learns while ensuring quality</sub>]
M[Midfielder/Bot<br/><sub>Coordinates & documents</sub>]
A <--> M
D <--> M
A -.->|Mentors| D
How It Works in Practice
ADM in Action: Task Execution
Scenario: A senior developer takes on the task "Deploy emergency mesh network prototype"
1. Senior Developer (Attacker): Implements solution, explains decisions
2. Junior Developer (Defender): Assists, learns patterns, validates effort
3. Bot (Midfielder): Logs activity, manages check-ins
The junior isn't just watching—they're actively learning deployment processes, understanding architectural decisions, and preparing to lead similar tasks in the future.
Learning by Doing
"The assistant learns how the worker solves a specific task and gains knowledge and skills. Defenders are literally learning to become seniors."
Beyond Surveillance: A Learning Organization¶
This Isn't About Control
Traditional organizations use monitoring for compliance and control. In a Smartup, the buddy system creates a learning environment where:
- Juniors gain real experience with safety nets
- Seniors develop mentoring and leadership skills
- Knowledge spreads organically through the organization
- No one carries administrative burden alone
The defender role isn't a watchdog—it's an apprenticeship. This transforms what could feel like surveillance into an opportunity for growth.
The Freedom to Shift: Horizontal Career Development
What makes Smartup identity truly revolutionary is voluntary role shifting. Unlike traditional organizations where you're locked into your expertise, we embrace career fluidity.
Role Shifting in Practice
Marcus has been a senior backend developer for 5 years. He's excellent at it, but getting bored.
Traditional Organization: Marcus is stuck. His value is tied to his seniority in backend. Moving to UX means starting over, losing status and pay.
In a Smartup: Marcus can:
- Continue taking senior backend tasks when he wants (90% as attacker)
- Join the UX team as a junior member
- Take on UX tasks as a defender (10%, learning from senior UX designers)
- Gradually build UX skills while maintaining backend income
- Eventually take on senior UX roles as skills develop
Result: Marcus expands his skillset, stays engaged, and the Smartup gains a developer who understands both backend AND user experience.
Why This Matters
For Individuals:
- Never get trapped in a single role
- Learn new skills while earning
- Find renewed passion through variety
- Build cross-functional understanding
For the Smartup:
- Retain talented people who might otherwise leave from boredom
- Create bridges between teams through shared members
- Build resilience—more people can cover more roles
- Foster innovation through cross-pollination
The Learning Economy
This fluid identity system creates what we call a learning economy:
graph LR
SE[Senior Expert<br/><sub>Feeling Stagnant</sub>]
JL[Junior Learner<br/><sub>in New Domain</sub>]
ME[Multi-skilled Expert<br/><sub>Cross-functional</sub>]
IV[Increased Value<br/><sub>To Individual & Smartup</sub>]
SE -->|Chooses to Explore| JL
JL -->|Learns Through Tasks| ME
ME -->|Creates| IV
IV -->|Enables More| SEBreaking the Specialization Trap
"Traditional organizations want you to stay in your box—it's easier to manage. But humans aren't meant to do one thing forever. A Smartup embraces our natural desire to grow, learn, and evolve."
Why Identity Shifting Matters
Identity in Action
Sarah is a senior developer who's curious about business development. Watch her fluid day:
9:00 AM - General Forum: As a CITIZEN, she votes on strategic direction, her voice equal to everyone's.
9:30 AM - Workplace: As a COLLEAGUE, she discusses overall progress in the OSBP.
10:00 AM - Dev Team: As a senior TEAM MEMBER, she guides technical architecture decisions.
11:00 AM - Task #42: As an ATTACKER, she codes a critical feature (earning 90% of task value).
2:00 PM - Business Team: As a junior TEAM MEMBER, she joins market research discussions.
3:00 PM - Task #78: As a DEFENDER, she assists on a competitor analysis task, learning from the senior business developer (earning 10% while learning).
End of Day: Sarah earned well from her senior work AND gained business skills. The Smartup gets a developer who understands market pressures.
The Power of Context
By explicitly naming who we are in each space, we:
- Prevent power dynamics from poisoning collaboration
- Create psychological safety for honest communication
- Enable rapid context switching without confusion
- Build empathy by experiencing multiple perspectives
- Allow graceful transition between expert and learner modes
Making the Shift Switching roles in a Smartup is designed to be frictionless:
- See an interesting team? Join their public channel
- Want to learn? Apply for junior roles in that team
- Keep earning: Maintain senior roles in your expertise area
- Grow gradually: Take on more advanced tasks as you learn
- No permission needed: Your career path is yours to design
Identity Protocols: Who We Become in Each Space¶
What is this?
As we move between the 6 groups, we don't just change what we do—we change who we are. These identity protocols teach us how to show up in each space for maximum collective effective$
The Six Identities We Embody
-
In the General Forum --- We are CITIZENS
Equal voice, equal vote, equal responsibility. Here, the newest contributor has the same rights as the founding team. We debate, propose, and decide as equals.
"In this space, I am a citizen with rights and obligations"
-
In the Workplace --- We are COLLEAGUES
United by shared mission. We may have different skills and tasks, but we're all building toward the same vision. Collaboration over competition.
"In this space, I am a colleague working for our shared idea"
-
In Teams --- We are TEAM MEMBERS
Aligned on objectives. We coordinate our diverse skills toward specific goals, supporting each other's growth and success.
"In this space, I am a team member working on our objectives"
-
In Roles --- We are PEERS
Sharing expertise. Whether senior or junior, we're united by our craft, helping each other improve and solve technical challenges.
"In this space, I am a peer sharing skills and knowledge"
-
In Objectives --- We are SQUAD MEMBERS
Aligned on objectives. We coordinate our diverse skills toward specific goals, supporting each other's growth and success.
"In this space, I am a team member working on our objectives"
-
In Roles --- We are PEERS
Sharing expertise. Whether senior or junior, we're united by our craft, helping each other improve and solve technical challenges.
"In this space, I am a peer sharing skills and knowledge"
-
In Objectives --- We are SQUAD MEMBERS
Present and focused. We're here now, working on this specific mission, coordinating in real-time to achieve our goal.
"In this space, I am a squad member present and engaged"
-
In Tasks --- We are ATTACKERS & DEFENDERS
Executing with discipline. We take on specific roles—driving work forward or ensuring quality—with clear accountability.
"In this space, I am actively attacking or defending this task"
Why Identity Shifting Matters
Identity in Action
Sarah is a senior developer in Smartup Zero. Watch how she shifts:
9:00 AM - General Forum: As a CITIZEN, she votes on whether to pursue mesh networking, weighing in equally with designers and business developers.
9:30 AM - Workplace: As a COLLEAGUE, she reviews the overall ONLIFE roadmap, offering technical insights while respecting other disciplines.
10:00 AM - Dev Team: As a TEAM MEMBER, she coordinates with other developers on the sprint plan.
10:30 AM - Backend Role: As a PEER, she mentors a junior backend developer struggling with mesh protocols.
11:00 AM - "Build MVP" Objective: As a SQUAD MEMBER, she syncs with frontend and QA on today's integration.
11:30 AM - Task #42: As an ATTACKER, she codes the mesh discovery feature while her junior DEFENDER reviews and learns.
The Power of Context
By explicitly naming who we are in each space, we:
- Prevent power dynamics from poisoning collaboration
- Create psychological safety for honest communication
- Enable rapid context switching without confusion
- Build empathy by experiencing multiple perspectives
Learning the Dance New contributors often struggle with identity shifting at first. That's normal—we're conditioned by traditional organizations to maintain rigid roles. But with practice, this fluidity becomes natural and empowering.
Identity Discipline
These aren't just nice ideas—they're operational requirements. In our Matrix/Element spaces, channels are named and moderated to reinforce these identities. Bringing "boss energy" to a peer space or "individual contributor" mindset to the General Forum disrupts our collective intelligence
The Meta-Transparency Layer: ADM Between Groups¶
What is this?
The ADM Triangle doesn't just operate within groups—it creates a transparency cascade from the outside world all the way down to individual tasks, ensuring accountability and alignment at every level.
We've seen how the ADM Triangle works within each group. But the true power emerges when we see how it connects the groups themselves, creating what we call the meta-transparency layer—a complete chain of accountability from public oversight to task execution.
The Oversight Cascade
Each group in our 6-layer structure maintains oversight of the group below it through its own ADM Triangle:
-
0_timeline → General Forum
A: Citizens taking initiative with proposals/votes
D: Leadership team ensuring quality moderation
M: Bot documents everything to 0_timeline
The outside world sees our governance in action -
General Forum → Workplace
A: Colleagues taking initiative with work
D: Leadership team ensuring OSBP compliance
M: Bot reports progress to General Forum
Citizens oversee how work gets done -
Workplace → Teams
A: Team members taking initiative in teams
D: Team captains ensuring strategy/budgets
M: Bot reports team health to Workplace
Colleagues oversee team formation -
Teams → Roles
A: Peers taking initiative in skill areas
D: Team captain ensuring roles are filled
M: Bot reports role coverage to Teams
Teams oversee skill distribution -
Roles → Objectives
A: Squad members taking initiative on missions
D: Mission leaders ensuring coordination
M: Bot reports objective progress to Roles
Peers oversee objective participation -
Objectives → Tasks
A: Worker taking initiative to complete
D: Assistant ensuring quality/learning
M: Bot reports task status to Objectives
Squads oversee task execution
** The Complete Transparency Flow**
graph TD
OT[0_timeline<br/>Outside World]
GF[1_general_forum<br/>All Citizens]
WP[2_workplace<br/>All Colleagues]
TM[3_teams<br/>Team Members]
RL[4_roles<br/>Peers]
OB[5_objectives<br/>Squad Members]
TS[6_tasks<br/>Worker + Assistant]
OT -->|oversees| GF
GF -->|oversees| WP
WP -->|oversees| TM
TM -->|oversees| RL
RL -->|oversees| OB
OB -->|oversees| TS
TS -.->|reports up| OB
OB -.->|reports up| RL
RL -.->|reports up| TM
TM -.->|reports up| WP
WP -.->|reports up| GF
GF -.->|reports up| OTA Complete Flow Example
Let's follow a decision from inception to execution:
Day 1 - Citizen Initiative:
In the General Forum, citizens (A) propose adding mesh networking to ONLIFE. Leadership team (D) facilitates discussion. Bot (M) publishes proposal to 0_timeline.
Day 3 - Vote Passes:
Colleagues in Workplace (A) volunteer to implement. Leadership team (D) ensures it fits OSBP. Bot (M) reports commitment to General Forum.
Day 5 - Team Forms:
Dev team members (A) organize around mesh networking. Team captain (D) allocates budget and strategy. Bot (M) reports team formation to Workplace.
Day 7 - Roles Activate:
Backend peers (A) define mesh protocol skills needed. Team captain (D) ensures roles are properly staffed. Bot (M) reports skill gaps to Teams.
Day 10 - Objective Launches:
Squad members (A) begin "Build Mesh Prototype" objective. Mission leader (D) coordinates resources. Bot (M) reports progress to Roles.
Day 12 - Tasks Execute:
Senior dev (A) codes mesh discovery feature. Junior dev (D) assists and learns. Bot (M) logs 4 hours work, reports completion to Objective.
Result: Complete transparency from public proposal to code commit. Every stakeholder can trace the path.
Why This Matters
Traditional organizations hide their operations behind closed doors. Our meta-transparency means:
- Public can see how decisions become reality
- Citizens can track their proposals through execution
- Workers understand why they're building what they're building
- No black boxes, no hidden agendas
- Trust through transparency at every level
Information Overload?
With transparency at every level, we risk drowning in data. That's why the bot middleware is crucial—it filters and summarizes, ensuring each level gets the right amount of detail. Citizens don't see every git commit; task workers don't get flooded with governance debates.
The Official Smartup Business Plan (OSBP)¶
What is this?
The OSBP is the living, breathing constitution of a Smartup—where an entrepreneur's vision transforms into collective property through democratic participation and continuous evolution.
From "My Idea" to "Our Mission"¶
Every Smartup begins with an entrepreneur who sees a solution to an SDG challenge. But unlike traditional startups where founders retain control, the OSBP is the mechanism for transferring ownership to the collective.
flowchart TB
E[Entrepreneur<br/>Vision v0.1] --> C[Community<br/>Validation]
C --> T[Teams Add<br/>Assessments]
T --> V1[OSBP v1.0<br/>Design Phase]
V1 --> V2[OSBP v2.0<br/>Production]
V2 --> V3[OSBP v3.0<br/>Organization]
V3 --> V4[OSBP v4.0<br/>Market Ready]
style E fill:#ff6b6b
style V4 fill:#8bc34aThe Three Groundings¶
Every OSBP must establish legitimacy through three essential groundings:
-
SDG Grounding ---
Which SDGs does this address?
Why is this problem critical?
How does our solution help?
What's the measurable impact?
Links to UN frameworks -
Scientific Grounding ---
Evidence the solution works
Research backing approach
Technical feasibility studies
Peer-reviewed references
Testable hypotheses -
Democratic Grounding ---
The validation test:
Current owners: X joined
Target owners: Y needed
Funding: €X of €Y goal
Teams forming: X of Y needed
"Do enough people want this?"
Why Three Groundings?
SDG: Ensures we're solving real planetary problems
Scientific: Proves our solution can actually work
Democratic: Tests if enough people care to make it happen
Together, they prevent building solutions nobody needs.
The Democratic Test¶
The democratic grounding is the entrepreneur's ultimate reality check:
From 'I Think' to 'We Know'
"I think this is a good idea and I've done my homework. Now let's find out if enough other people agree and want this as badly as I do. Not through surveys or likes, but through real commitment—joining as owners, contributing funds, volunteering skills. If we can't rally enough people in validation, we shouldn't build it."
This democratic grounding happens through:
- Crowdfunding success: People vote with their wallets
- Team formation: Skilled people volunteer their time
- Owner recruitment: Citizens join the mission
- Financial thresholds: Real money proves real demand
- Active participation: Not just watchers but builders
By the end of validation, we don't guess there's demand—we've proven it through collective action.
OSBP Structure for Validation Phase¶
The OSBP sections map directly to team responsibilities:
| Section | Responsible Team | Core Questions |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Executive Summary | Leadership Team | Why does the world need this? What's our vision? |
| 2. Design Blueprint | Design Team | How will it work from user perspective? |
| 3. Development Blueprint | Development Team | How do we build it? What's been built? |
| 4. Business & Marketing | Business Team | How does it sustain itself? Validation budget? |
| 5. Media & Message | Media Team | How do we communicate? What's our voice? |
| 6. R&D Roadmap | Science Team | What research questions must we answer? |
| 7. Definition of Ready | Operational Team | When are we ready for Design Phase? |
The Living Document Process¶
How OSBP Updates Work
Day 1: Design team improves user flow section
Day 2: Team captain submits changes to Workplace
Day 2-5: Lazy consensus period (72 hours)
- No objections from 3+ colleagues = proceed
- Objections = discussion and resolution
Day 5-7: General Forum notification (48 hours)
- Final chance for any owner to raise concerns
Day 7: Auto-published to live OSBP on 0_timeline
flowchart LR
TC[Team Creates<br/>Update] --> WR[Workplace<br/>Review]
WR -->|72hr lazy consensus| GF[General Forum<br/>Notification]
GF -->|48hr final review| PUB[Published to<br/>0_timeline]
WR -->|Objections| DIS[Discussion &<br/>Resolution]
DIS --> WR
style PUB fill:#8bc34aVersion Evolution¶
| Version | Phase | Status | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| v0.1 | Pre-validation | Entrepreneur's proposal | Individual vision seeking collective |
| v0.2-0.9 | Validation | Team assessments added | Collective shaping and ownership |
| v1.0 | Design entry | Validated plan | Community approved, ready to design |
| v2.0 | Production entry | Designed solution | Blueprints complete, ready to build |
| v3.0 | Organization entry | Built product | MVP done, ready to organize |
| v4.0 | Market entry | Launch ready | Complete plan for sustainable operation |
From Assessment to Leadership¶
The OSBP naturally identifies leaders through work:
- Teams collaborate on their OSBP section
- Quality contributors emerge through the writing
- Natural coordination becomes visible
- Team elects captain based on demonstrated ability
- Captains form Leadership Team
Not a Static Document
Traditional business plans are fiction about the future. The OSBP is living documentation of our evolving reality. Every pivot, every learning, every decision gets captured in real-time.
Access and Transparency¶
Where it lives:
Version controlled in Forgejo, rendered on 0_timeline
Who can read:
Everyone (public)
Who can propose changes:
Team members for their sections
Who approves:
Lazy consensus through Workplace + Forum
Update frequency:
Continuous as we learn
The Document That Binds Us
"The OSBP isn't what we pitch to investors—we don't have any. It's what we promise each other and the world. It's our collective memory, our shared vision, and our operational reality all in one living document."
Progressive Transparency Architecture¶
The Information Democracy
This section defines how Smartup Zero balances radical transparency with strategic protection through a three-tier access system. Unlike traditional organizations that operate on extremes (total secrecy vs. naive openness), Smartups pioneer Progressive Transparency—where access to information is earned through demonstrated commitment, while governance remains democratically open to all.
The Transparency Paradox Solution¶
-
Traditional Binary Problem
Either everything is secret (corporate model) or everything is public (naive open source)
-
Smartup Innovation
Process transparency + Strategic discretion: How we work is visible, what we build is revealed progressively
The Three-Tier Information System¶
Tier 1: Universal Access (1_general_forum)¶
Repository: 1_general_forum → timeline0.org
Access: Open to the entire world
Purpose: Democratic accountability and community building
Public Contents
- Complete OSBP (external blueprints from all teams)
- Book of Owners and governance records
- All voting processes and outcomes
- Weekly progress updates and challenge reports
- Currency ledger (complete SC/Karma transaction history)
- Community discussions and decision rationales
Philosophy
"Democracy requires transparency. Every citizen should see how decisions are made, how money flows, and how the collective progresses."
Tier 2: Licensed Contributor Access (2_workplace and below)¶
Repositories: 2_workplace, 3_X_teams, 4_X_roles
Access: Work License holders and above
Purpose: Protecting collective investment while enabling meaningful collaboration
Protected Contents
- ONLIFE implementation code and technical specifications
- Internal blueprint versions with full implementation details
- Active development workflows and team coordination
- Work-in-progress features and experimental approaches
- Strategic planning documents and competitive analysis
Philosophy
"Our collective work deserves protection from free-riders. Those who contribute to building should have access to the tools and knowledge needed to build well."
Tier 3: Organizational Governance¶
Access: Team Captains and Organizational License holders
Purpose: Strategic coordination without compromising democratic principles
Sensitive Contents
- Cross-team coordination and resource allocation
- Sensitive partnership negotiations
- Legal and compliance documentation
- Crisis management and conflict resolution processes
The License Progression: Earning Trust Through Demonstration¶
| License Level | Access Tier | Purpose | How to Obtain | Key Rights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Campaign | Tier 1 only | Enable evaluation | Declare interest via Open Collective | Observe, discuss publicly |
| Watch | Tier 1 + limited Tier 2 | Serious evaluation | Demonstrate sustained interest | Read-only internal docs, community calls |
| Work | Full Tier 2 | Enable contribution | Complete onboarding, prove competence | Claim tasks, earn SC, access dev resources |
| Organizational | All tiers | Enable leadership | Community election after sustained contribution | Team Captain roles, strategic access |
The Trust-Building Mechanism
Progressive Transparency creates a virtuous cycle:
- Curiosity → Public docs attract interested people
- Evaluation → Campaign/Watch licenses allow assessment
- Commitment → Work License requires real investment
- Contribution → Meaningful work builds capability
- Leadership → Organizational License recognizes excellence
- Innovation → Experienced members improve systems
The Weekly Sync: Internal Innovation, External Accountability¶
Every team operates a dual blueprint system with democratic oversight:
Internal Blueprints (Tier 2)¶
-
Technical Details
Complete specifications and implementation details
-
Live Progress
Real-time tracking and issue identification
-
Strategic Planning
Competitive analysis and resource allocation
-
Learning Documentation
Experimental approaches and failed attempts
External Blueprints (Tier 1 → timeline0.org)¶
Updated every Friday through democratic review
- Progress summaries with measurable achievements
- Challenge identification and resource needs
- Community recruitment and skill requirements
- Strategic direction without implementation details
- Success metrics and phase advancement status
The Friday-Sunday Sync Process¶
graph LR
A[Friday: Team Captains Submit] --> B[48h Community Review]
B --> C{Sunday 10pm Decision}
C -->|≤3 Issues| D[Auto-merge & Publish]
C -->|>3 Issues or Veto| E[Postpone Publication]
D --> F[timeline0.org Updates]Democratic Safeguards
- Lazy Consensus: All owners can participate in review
- Issue Threshold: >3 unresolved issues postpones publication
- Leadership Veto: 2+ Leadership Team members can block publication
- Template Compliance: Operational Team standards enforced
Why This Architecture Serves Collective Ownership¶
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Protects Collective Investment
Prevents extractive actors from taking collective work without contributing. Traditional "open source" often means "free labor for corporate profit"—we invert this.
-
Makes Licenses Meaningful
Each license level provides genuine value and responsibility. Progression reflects demonstrated commitment and proven collaboration competence.
-
Maintains Democratic Legitimacy
All governance remains public. License holders get access to tools, never special voting rights. Every decision is visible to the world.
-
Enables Strategic Timing
Develop innovations collectively while choosing optimal release timing for maximum impact and partner protection.
The Resolution
Smartup Innovation: Process transparency + Strategic discretion
- How we work is always visible (governance, decision-making, progress)
- What we're building is revealed progressively as people demonstrate commitment
- Who makes decisions is always public and democratic
- When we release innovations is chosen collectively for maximum impact
This architecture embodies the core Smartup principle: Technology should serve collective human needs, built by and for the communities that use it, with full democratic accountability but protection from extraction.
The result is an organization that is both radically transparent in its governance and strategically intelligent in its operations—capable of competing with traditional startups while remaining true to collective ownership principles.