@sking.near [Posted on DevHub](https://near.social/#/devgovgigs.near/widget/Post?id=812) ## Solution: Proposal for a User-Friendly Gateway for the Blockchain Operating System (BOS) ###### Requested amount: 50000 USDC ###### Requested sponsor: @neardevgov.near ## **Introduction** The NEAR Blockchain has always prided itself on being the most **user-friendly** and **accessible** blockchain out there, with its usability being a key selling point. However, since transitioning to the BOS, the user friendliness of NEAR has significantly decreased, even for technically-savvy individuals. Many users find the BOS overwhelming and confusing, causing them to avoid it altogether. Furthermore, there is a risk of scams involving malicious widgets, which normal users may have trouble distinguishing from trustworthy ones. As a result, many users, including myself, still prefer to conduct their DeFi transactions on older platforms. Urgent action is needed to address these issues to ensure **inclusivity** and **security** within the blockchain ecosystem. This will benefit both technical and non-technical users and improve the overall user experience of the BOS. ## Problem Right now, we're facing a few key issues that we need to tackle: 1. **Complexity:** The BOS on the NEAR Blockchain has become complicated, even for those of us who consider ourselves pretty tech-savvy. It feels like trying to solve a puzzle with only 12 pieces when you're presented with thousands of pieces. The system can feel overwhelming and confusing, which leads many people to avoid it altogether. 2. **Developer-Centric Gateways:** Right now, the gateways available are designed with developers in mind. They're fantastic for people who code, but not so much for everyday users. It's like trying to read a book that's written in a language you don't understand. We need to bridge this gap and make the gateways user-friendly for everyone, not just those who code. 3. **Security Risks:** Then there's an elephant in the room that's being overlooked: security. With the rise of decentralized front-ends, the emergence of malicious widgets attempting to scam users is inevitable. This leaves users constantly second-guessing which widgets are safe to use and which ones aren't. This sense of uncertainty and fear is a major roadblock to global adoption, and it's something we need to address. 4. **Preference for Old Platforms:** As a result of these issues, many of us are still sticking to the old platforms to do our blockchain transactions such as DeFi, DAOs, NFTs markets. It's like preferring a flip phone over a smartphone just because the smartphone have a billion apps that does the same thing. That's not the way forward for adoption. We're here to ensure that blockchain technology is accessible to everyone. We want to make sure that everyone is included, secure, and confident in using the BOS. We need to address these issues head-on, and that's exactly what we're planning to do. ## **Solution** Our plan is simple but effective: we need to create a more user-friendly gateway specifically designed for everyday users. Here's how we're going to tackle this: 1. **Simplify the Interface:** We'll design a gateway that is intuitive and easy to use. This way, everyone from tech newbies to experts can navigate the system without breaking a sweat. 2. **Curated Widgets:** In order to tackle the issue of malicious widgets, we're going to set up a system similar to the App Store or Play Store. We'll have clear guidelines and a review process where every widget is manually evaluated by our experts for adherence to our standards. This way, users can confidently use the widgets, knowing they've been thoroughly vetted for security. 3. **User Education:** This one I’m still not sure how we are going implement it, but my first idea is to include clear, easy-to-understand instructions and explanations within the gateway. This way, users won't just know how to use the platform, they'll understand why they're doing what they're doing. 4. **Feedback Loop:** We'll implement a feedback system so users can report issues, suggest improvements, or ask questions. This will allow us to constantly improve the user experience based on real user input. 5. **Continued Support:** Even after the gateway is live, we'll continue to monitor and update it to ensure it remains secure and easy to use. We'll keep an eye on emerging threats and stay ahead of them. By tackling these issues, we'll make the NEAR BOS more accessible, secure, and user-friendly for everyone. We'll get back to the core of what made NEAR great in the first place: its commitment to usability for all. ## **Objective** The goal of this project is to develop a User-Friendly Gateway for the Blockchain Operating System (BOS), specifically targeted at non-technical users. This gateway will offer curated widgets that have been vetted for security and usability, making blockchain interactions intuitive and safe for all. By simplifying blockchain interactions, we can not only increase the accessibility and security of the NEAR BOS but also significantly enhance its overall adoption and popularity. ## **About me** My name is Achraf, I’m originally from Morocco but I become a digital nomad in the last year, traveling the world and working from home. I'm a hardcore developer with 5+ years of experience in the industry. I've been an active member of the NEAR Blockchain 2021, contributing to various projects and gaining a deep understanding of the NEAR ecosystem and its users' needs. I joined the NDC community just few months back and contributed to a few gigs, **specifically** the [DAOs Widget](https://near.org/sking.near/widget/DAO.Page?daoId=multi.sputnik-dao.near&tab=proposals) and the [I-AM-HUMAN referral Widget](https://near.org/sking.near/widget/IAH.Invite), and the community liked UI. I specialize in front-end development, but my skills extend into the realm of UI/UX design in a unique way. For me, JavaScript and CSS aren't just coding languages—they're my Figma. This approach ensures that the end products I create are not just functional, but also visually appealing and user-friendly. Some of my most notable projects include **[MyXDC](https://myxdc.org)** and **[DeerMarket](https://www.deermarket.org/)**. You can also get a glimpse of my coding expertise on **[My Github](https://github.com/sekaiking)**. I'm an advocate for making technology accessible to all and firmly believe that user-friendly solutions are the key to driving blockchain adoption. This project is particularly important to me because I admire the concept of the BOS but wish it could emulate the user-friendly aspects of Web 2.0 platforms, such as Twitter. I'm deeply invested in the potential of the NEAR Blockchain and envision it surpassing Ethereum as the go-to web3 blockchain. Understanding the challenges faced by users firsthand, I'm committed to enhancing the BOS's accessibility and user-friendliness. ## **Project Scope and Deliverables** The project will encompass the following scope and deliverables: 1. **Design and Development of a User-Friendly Gateway:** The primary deliverable is the creation of a new BOS gateway that is designed with user experience at its core. Our design process will follow a user-centered design approach, starting with user research to understand the needs and pain points of our target users. This research will inform the design of user personas and user journeys. We will then move on to ideation where we'll generate a variety of design solutions, followed by wireframing and prototyping of the most promising ones. We will conduct user testing on our prototypes and refine the design based on user feedback and usability testing results. Once the design is finalized, we'll develop it using the latest front-end technologies ensuring performance, accessibility, and compatibility across devices and browsers. This iterative process will involve initial design mock-ups, user testing and refinements based on feedback. 2. **Curated Widgets:** We will develop a process for reviewing and approving widgets that can be used in the gateway. This involves creating the approval guidelines, assembling a review team of experts, and setting up a system for ongoing review and approval of new widgets. 3. **Educational Resources:** We will create a suite of easy-to-understand guides, video tutorials, and FAQs to help users understand how to use the gateway and interact with the widgets. We will also provide clear information on the security of the widgets, to build user confidence and trust. 4. **Feedback System:** To ensure continuous improvement, we will build a user feedback mechanism into the gateway. Users can provide suggestions, report bugs, or ask questions, and we'll use this information to make ongoing updates and enhancements. 5. **Continued Support and Updates:** Once the gateway is live, our work doesn't stop. We will provide ongoing support and regular updates to the gateway and its features, ensuring it remains up-to-date with user needs and security standards. At the end of the project, we will have a user-friendly gateway that is secure, intuitive, and enjoyable for users to interact with. Our solution will not only make the NEAR BOS more accessible to everyone but also foster a greater sense of trust and confidence in the technology. ## **Milestones, Deliverables & Budget Breakdown** The project is expected to take 2 months for the prototype, 4 months for Fully working MVP, 7 months for user adoption. **Milestone 1 (2 months)** : $10,000 - Researching and data collection ($1,000) Gathering information about user pain-poins, what they hate/love about the current solutions. And any piece of information that could help us reach our objective. - Planning every aspect of the gateway implementation ($1,000) This planning stage will include defining the project scope, identifying key features and functionalities of the gateway, determining the technical requirements and architecture, setting up the development environment, and preparing a detailed project timeline. - Designing the UI for the gateway ($4,000) The UI design process will follow established design principles to ensure simplicity and intuitiveness. This will include sketching, wireframing, and creating high-fidelity prototypes of the gateway, followed by user testing and iterative refinement of the design based on feedback. Including - Coding a working prototype for the gateway ($4,000) **Milestone 2 (2 months)**: $10,000 - Implementing the full gateway with the key features ($6,000) - Curating and improving the initial widgets as needed ($2,000) - Testing and refinement as needed ($2,000) including paying some users to give feedback about the platform. **Milestone 3 (1 month)**: $8,000 - Implement the Widget Approval Process (Setting up guidelines, giving incentive for experts to review widgets, and managing the approval process). ($3,000) - Developing and implementing a user feedback system. ($2,000) - Hiring a marketing and relationships person to bring users to the platform. ($3,000) **Milestone 4 (2 Months)**: S**upport, updates, and marketing: $10,000** - Full time, heavy regular gateway maintenance and updates based on user feedback and evolving security standards. ($6,000) - Ongoing marketing and user acquisition ($4,000) **Milestone 5 (4 Months)**: **Ongoing Support and Updates: $6,000** - Part time, light regular gateway maintenance and updates based on user feedback and evolving security standards. After milestone 5, it will be up to me to transition this project into a self sustaining project with strategies like advertisement, premium themes/profiles… And also transitioning the project into a DAO where users and contributors have a say on every detail of the gateway. **Expenses**: - Frontend Hosting with High Availability for up to 1TB of bandwidth - $1,200 / year - Domain name - not decided yet, hopefully cheap for start ~$10 **Total**: ~$50,000 USDC ## **Funding Condition** I am wholeheartedly committed to this project and plan to dedicate all my time to its success once the funding is secured. For Milestones 1 and 2, I propose an initial payment of $3,000 at the beginning of each milestone. The remainder of the funding should only be released after a successful evaluation of the milestone's outcomes. If these outcomes do not meet the majority of community judges' expectations, compared to what was initially promised, I agree to drop the additional funding for that milestone. This proposal reflects my confidence in the value and feasibility of this project, and my willingness to stake my compensation on its successful realization. For Milestones 3, 4, and 5, I propose a different approach. If I have successfully delivered on the first two milestones and gained the trust of the group and community, I would ask that the funding for these stages to be released at the beginning of each milestone. I choose this approach to reinforce the belief and confidence of the community that this funding is beneficial while also having good momentum and ongoing feedback from users. With trust established and secure funding, we'll be able to focus completely on developing the best possible user-friendly gateway without unnecessary interruptions or delays. ## **Evaluation** In Milestone 4, we will measure the success of our project based on the following metrics: 1. **User Satisfaction:** We aim for high satisfaction scores from user surveys. To collect unbiased data, we will conduct public surveys and votes gated behind the I-AM-HUMAN contract, allowing users to share honest feedback. 2. **User adoption:** We will consider our project successful if a substantial number of users start using the new gateway within the first month of Milestone 4. 3. **Trust and Reduced Scam Incidents:** Success will also be defined by an increase in users comfortably conducting their DeFi transactions on the gateway, indicating higher trust levels and fewer security concerns. 4. **Bug-Free Operation:** The stability and reliability of our gateway will be a key measure of success. We aim to have a bug-free or near bug-free operation, with any discovered issues promptly addressed and fixed. 5. **Mobile-First Approach:** Mobile devices are the most used devices for internet access, we want our gateway to be accessible and functional for mobile users. Success will be evaluated on our gateway's usability and responsiveness on various mobile devices, ensuring that our platform is truly mobile-first. By funding this project, we can make the blockchain more accessible to a larger audience, promoting both inclusivity and security within the ecosystem. Your support would be a significant step towards these goals. Thank you.