This post explores a redesigned DAO governance model focused on trust, accountability, and people — born out of both personal frustration and public ambition.
🧩 *This essay is available as a free collectible NFT on Mirror.*If you find value in it, feel free to mint and keep a trace of this thinking. 💠
📌 Opening (Intro)
Web3 promised us freedom through decentralization — but too often delivered chaos without accountability.
So I asked: What if governance wasn’t just code — but care?
🛠️Designing Trust: Why I Wrote This
This wasn’t just a thought experiment — it was a personal challenge.How do we build systems where trust isn't an afterthought, but the foundation?Where users aren’t just passive voters, but active participants in shaping their digital environment?
😵 What Actually Happened
I was invited to interview for a Web3 product/PM role.And I thought:
“Finally! I’ll get to share my thoughts on DAO structures, trust design, and governance flow.”
I stayed up all night preparing.I built diagrams, mapped policy flows, and designed layered trust systems —all to express one message:
Structure is not just code. It’s a commitment.
But the interview?
It didn’t go how I imagined.
🙈 The Crash
Before I could say a word about "governance flow" or "community UX",I was hit with a barrage of tech stack questions:
“Have you used GA?”“Have you queried logs in Datadog?”“Can you explain your API monitoring setup?”
(To be honest, I’m not even sure those were the exact tools — but that was the vibe. 😅)
The more I tried to explain my governance model,the more my lack of engineering background showed.I froze.
In my rush to make the proposal polished,I had left gaps — and they showed.
The conversation slipped —from structure to syntax,from intent to interrogation.
I was dismissed before I could even finish.And that hurt — not because I was wrong for the role, but because I didn’t even get to share what I came to say.
(Technically, it wasn’t a formal rejection — but since there were no questions about salary expectations, it felt like the decision had already been made.)
💬 Why I’m Still Sharing This
Was part of it my fault?Absolutely.
Maybe what they really needed was a strong backend PM with infra experience.That’s fair.
I was just sad that I couldn’t share something I had poured so much thought into.
Because even if it’s not perfect,this work matters.
I’m not a blockchain engineer.I’m not a governance PhD.But I care — deeply — about how we build digital spaces together.
And I believe trust is something we should design on purpose.
🧩 What’s Inside the Proposal
🏛️ Separation of Powers DAO
Legislative (DAO) / Executive (Companies) / Judiciary (Auditors)
🌀 Trust Protocols
AI-assisted moderation, behavior + reputation scoring
🧠 Memory-Based UX
A user history interface that builds accountability — not confusion
💰 Sustainable Revenue Logic
Gas optimization + trust-based reward systems
📊 Modular Role Matrix
Complete with policy flow, abuse response, and appeals
📌 It’s not just a theory. It’s a structure.And it’s designed to evolve with you.
👉 This framework is an early design for turning trust into a measurable asset — and participation into a form of long-term value.
💼 This framework may also support:
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Mission-driven startups building DAO-based platforms
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For-profit organizations seeking trust-enhanced community systems
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Web3 companies aiming to align their brand with ethical, participatory governance
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Blockchain ventures pursuing ESG-aligned transparency strategies
👉 Whether you're building for public good or private innovation —this model offers a foundation for sustainable, trust-based systems.
💡 *Note: This model is still in its early design phase, and would require further technical discussion, testing, and iteration before full implementation.*But as an initial attempt to turn trust into a measurable asset and participation into long-term value, I hope it offers a meaningful starting point.
🔗 Read the full proposal:👉 Notion — Self-Reflections on Designing a Web3-Inspired Governance Model
👀 Bonus:You’ll find diagrams like these:
🗺️ Policy Flow
🔁 Dual Trust Loop
🏛️ Urban Metaphor Mapping
🤝 Open for Feedback
If you’re a DAO builder, UX researcher, systems thinker, or just curious —Let’s talk.
This isn’t about me being right.It’s about building something better — together.
📬 catnaro16@gmail.com🔗 LinkedIn
P.S.
"Maybe I failed the interview. But this idea? It’s still here — and still growing."
And maybe the role truly called for someone with deeper technical chops. That’s fair.Still, I was just a little heartbroken that I couldn’t share the thing I put my heart into.
But maybe… this story doesn’t end with me.Maybe it’s yours to build further. 💡
I’m open to collaboration, feedback, pilot testing — or consulting on this model.
#DAO, #Governance, #Web3, #TrustProtocol, #Decentralization, #EthicalDesign
#Proposal, #Reflection, #ProductDesign, #SystemDesign
#OpenCollaboration, #CallForFeedback, #DAOthinking #AIinModeration, #TokenEconomy, #UXDesign, #ReputationSystems