Dream Circle

Note

This is the output of the dream circle we did in August 2024 when forming the collective.

Vision

Raw Dreaming

[Rufus] A Mondragon for Data A data collective / cooperative building data infrastructure and curating datasets. Like Mondragon in sense of both of its idealistic start with 5 people and what it could beocme in 50y e.g. 80,000 people and 260 different cooperatives in a network.
- Sustainable cooperative-like businesses that can do all of this work and sustain it over time and at some scale
[David] Empower communities with open data that helps them make better decisions. Local communities know what they want and need for their lives and i want to help them with data to make choices.
[Both] A base/group with like-minded people that enjoy data (and with a focus on data) who have broad interests and social awareness
- And be in an environment that works with my style (it can be diverse) e.g. "slow"
- High quality environment (maybe some strictness on joining)
[David] Help the way the world produces, share, consume and collaborate on open datasets.
[Rufus] Democratising data: making power of data – both tooling and data itself - available to more people (and not just avaialble in the Google sense ie. as consumers of the result but as participants ie. can actually look stuff up, find the source etc)
[David] Working on a framework / protocols that helps people to use state of art data tools for open data.
- E.g: It is now possible to explore 10 to 100m data points in your browser: https://idl.uw.edu/mosaic/examples/flights-10m.html
[Rufus] Curate data and data-driven insights with others. Actually get hands dirty. Do data-informed sensemaking for ourselves and the world. Aka an alternative "collective" version of Our World in Data (where new people can join and we aren't based inside Univ of Oxford 😉)
- [David] Which problems are people problem and where can data help a lot. "Sensemaking about where data makes a difference"
[Rufus] Creating a (Cooperative) "Data Agency with a Difference" (evolution of previous point where this is an actual (cooperative) enterprise - both important in sustaining the former and an evolution of the former)
[David] Designing incentives and monetization strategies [for data] that scale and work across communities 🔥
[Rufus] Playing with DAOs etc both for previous point and Mondragon and Data Agency etc (e.g. "(cooperative) spotify for data" using remuneration rights style stuff)
[David] Embody our values Do all of it in a way that reflects our values
- Create an exceptional culture that includes the collective / cooperative aspect and democratising data … and perhaps more transformative aspects.
- Walk our talk … / do what we preach
[Rufus] Data by, with and for the people 😉. Big dream: we one day replace Google (not in service of search but in terms of the data side of things) or Bloomberg or X with a much more democratic, egalitarian – and innovative – approach.

Extra: example of n0.computer & iroh where they have a strict joining process.

Summary by Claude

A collaborative initiative focused on democratizing data and empowering communities through open data solutions. The key aspects are:

Data Collective: Building a cooperative-like organization for data infrastructure and curation, inspired by the Mondragon Corporation model.
Community Empowerment: Providing open data to help local communities make informed decisions.
Open Data Framework: Developing protocols and tools to improve the production, sharing, consumption, and collaboration on open datasets.
Data-Driven Insights: Curating and creating data-informed analyses, similar to "Our World in Data" but with a more inclusive, collaborative approach.
Cooperative Data Agency: Establishing a sustainable, values-driven enterprise that offers data services with a focus on cooperation and democratization.
Innovative Monetization: Exploring new incentive structures and monetization strategies for data across communities.
Long-Term Vision: Creating a "data treasurehouse" that preserves and curates valuable information over time.
Values and Culture: Embodying core values of cooperation, democratization, and transparency throughout the project's work and organizational structure.

The ultimate goal is to create a more democratic, egalitarian, and innovative approach to data that could potentially replace or complement existing data giants like Google or Bloomberg.

Summary From ChatGPT

The vision is to create a cooperative data collective inspired by Mondragon, aiming to empower communities through open data, democratize data access and tools, and engage in collaborative data sensemaking. The initiative focuses on building a sustainable and scalable data agency that embodies core values, encourages broad social awareness, and creates an innovative and exceptional culture. By developing advanced frameworks and protocols, and designing effective incentive and monetization strategies, the collective aims to revolutionize the way data is produced, shared, consumed, and collaborated on, fostering a long-term repository of curated data insights.

Consolidated Points

Data Collective/Cooperative Vision

A Mondragon for Data: Building a sustainable, cooperative-like data infrastructure and curating datasets, inspired by Mondragon's growth and scale.
Creating a Data Agency with a Difference: Establishing a cooperative enterprise to sustain and evolve the collective.

Community Empowerment and Democratization

Empower Communities with Open Data: Providing local communities with data to help them make better decisions and improve their lives.
Democratizing Data: Making data and data tools accessible to everyone, allowing active participation beyond mere consumption.
Data by, with, and for the People: Aiming to replace large data corporations with a more democratic and innovative approach.

Collaboration and Sensemaking

Curate Data and Data-Driven Insights: Engaging in hands-on data-informed sensemaking and creating a collaborative version of Our World in Data.
Base/Group with Like-Minded People: Forming a group focused on data with broad interests and social awareness, in a high-quality and possibly selective environment.

Technological Frameworks and Tools

Working on Frameworks/Protocols: Developing state-of-the-art tools and protocols to facilitate the use of open data.
Designing Incentives and Monetization Strategies: Creating scalable and community-wide strategies for data incentives and monetization.

Values and Culture

Embodying Our Values: Reflecting core values in all activities, creating an exceptional culture, and practicing what is preached.
Data Treasurehouse/Antiques Shop: Building a long-lasting data repository, emphasizing preservation, patience, and curation.

Innovation and Evolution

Playing with DAOs and Innovative Models: Experimenting with decentralized autonomous organizations and innovative models like a cooperative Spotify for data.