I need your help. I've been consumed by my thoughts for hours working on an idea of how to work on property scale
Permaculture designs right here in the forums. I think it can be done. I fully respect that a quality in person design is hard to replicate online, but that is not the goal. The cost of the online group collaboration would be a fraction of an in person design, my perception of the efforts that I feel will be made for that cost will be of a value that exceeds that cost by a long shot. I feel that if designs are created here and the resources and connections from those efforts are leveraged in a in person consultation the net win will be amazing for the resultant design.
I scrapped 3 efforts to turn my notes in to a post, so I'm going to copy/paste my notes below. I feel they are a starting point that can be worked on together to create a functional Permies forum based
Permaculture Design process. Kind of like how I feel the designs themselves will grow...
This is a Pie and other compensation for efforts model, as described in my notes below.
Here are my notes (The bullet point format didn't play well, I'm on my tablet so can look in to fixing later on my computer)
• Inspiration for my idea is from online bid for business design sites like 99designs.com or crowdspring.com but the difference here is the work is visible for all to see.
• Projects are open for a defined amount of time
• Set amount of pie to be awarded
• Disclaimer: Accept that this is an experiment, I'm hoping for better than expected participation and results but those posting rewards for projects need to be in a position to accept the sum of any and all work done for them with impunity (Don't be a sassy pants and write: "I DIDN’T GET MY 10 PIES WORTH!" I remain convinced that value will be received but it will not be guaranteed. Once the
project is posted then the rewards
should be committed on the closing date regardless. The cost of work done for the project owner on average will be way less than the cost of an in person design, and we will all learn from it. We all get 10 pies worth of knowledge on Permies every day for free as it is.
• Extra pie is allowed of course, but committed pie must be given out.
• Feedback for pie given is highly encouraged, where did you find value?
• Communicate with moderators prior to offering additional rewards so they can ensure it is a legitimate opportunity.
• Pie for the design should ideally be purchased prior to posting the project, this helps moderators see a commitment from those who post projects.
• Allowed to award special gifts to
Ants and Paul as part of the award structure.
○ Example: This design will award 12 pies (144 delicious pieces of pie) to contributors as the original poster sees fit, as well as five $20
gift cards. This project closes and all pie and
gift cards will be awarded by Feb. 1 2017.
○ In addition the original poster will send the Wheaton Lab Ants a V grafter from New Farm Supply and send Paul Wheaton a hand embroidered 'DUKE OF PERMACULTURE" pie cooking apron in honor of the collaborative efforts of the Permies community on this project.
• If you can't afford a hundred pieces of pie and $200 in tool gift certificates to reward the effort but still have a design need, don't despair. This is an awesome group of people. Get as much pie as you can afford and explain your situation when you post your project, I'm willing to bet you will get valuable work toward your goal. Your gratitude goes a long way!
• Allowed to get creative with awards but must be pre-approved by mods prior to posting.
• Call this Forum section The
Oven ?
• Oven Sections:
○
Permaculture Design
§ Open
Permaculture Design projects and pre-approved other award projects
□ Title should include brief project description, location, and closing date.
□ OP first post to be as detailed as possible to the project. You will get better results as much details as you are comfortable posting online. Purple Moosages with information that you don't want public to your key designers could be an effective way of keeping a level of privacy.
® Photos
® Description
® Links
® Maps
® Objectives
® Challenges
® Opportunities
® History
® Annual rain
® Soil types
®
Water resources
® ETC!
□ OP follow up posts to fill in more details as needed, this is an ongoing group collaboration.
§ Closed Pie Projects
□ Projects that have ended and Pie has been awarded. The ability to post will still be available and everyone can read them but no pie will be awarded after closing date
§ Other award section pending approval
□ This is section that offers more than pie as a reward and needs mod approval prior to going live in the open section. Note that regardless of offered incentive you must award at least some pie.
○ Small projects
§ While it is possible to include smaller projects in this model, I feel it is in the spirit of Permies to keep helping each other on a small scale as we do. My proposal is to reward the scale of hard work on larger projects rather than include small projects. A property design takes a lot more work than an herb garden, incentives to reward this work are commensurate with the extra effort that is requested.
• Elements of a full design can be of value, as can specific suggestions, pie can be sliced accordingly .
• Folks here can practice honing their design skills with interactive feedback, the skills building is a value aside from the quest for pie or other loot on offer
• Anyone can jump in a design and give pie where they want! See work that really impresses you? Reward it. Pie falling from the sky!
• This effort can increase the overall design skills of everyone involved. As the permaculture design skills of many can be honed, the overall quality of designs should increase. This is a win for those doing the designs, those receiving their design, and the movement as a whole.
• I personally find value in perspectives just as often as specifics. What an opportunity to see a myriad of perspectives.
• Maybe a real connection grows between a project owner and a designer. This would be awesome! The rewards could be gifted per the project and the owner and designer can make whatever agreement offline to continue a higher level of work together after it closes. This process could help people find those who resonate with their needs. Sometimes amazing designers don't fit just because personalities and perspectives aren't a perfect fit for the project owner. This process could ensure those working together were a good fit before an agreement to do an onsite design was made.
• Have fun with it!
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