Written by: LXDAO.
In modern society, coordination is everywhere. Whether it is the choice of a dinner among friends or the formulation of international policies, coordination plays an indispensable role. From cooperation between individuals to collaboration between groups, and to cross-chain operations in the blockchain world, coordination is a fundamental force that runs through different scenarios. However, coordination does not always go smoothly, especially when goals are unclear, mechanisms are not transparent, or consensus is lacking, it often evolves into disputes of interest or chaotic 'collusion.' This article will explore the definition, types, and applications of coordination in the blockchain ecosystem, analyze the culture and practices behind it, and provide some suggestions for achieving effective coordination.
Understanding Coordination
Definition of Coordination.
Coordination is the way in which a large number of participants work together towards a common goal. Coordination is an extremely broad behavior; in daily life, it can range from friends deciding which restaurant to go to tonight, to decisions made between nations, all of which are expressions of coordination. Coordination is the most powerful force in the universe; good coordination can unite people together to achieve a great cause.
Good coordination can foster the birth of great endeavors, such as the collaborative research on disease drugs by different departments to provide basic relief services to a large population. Poor coordination can turn stable orders into chaos, as seen in the Russia-Ukraine war, where conflicts of interest led to wars between nations, causing many to lose their lives. Similarly, the recent turmoil in the South Korean government, rooted in internal discord and failure of collective decision-making, has been a significant factor leading to social division and a crisis of trust.
Antonym of coordination.
The antonym of coordination is unreasonable coordination, which we often refer to as 'collusion.' A particularly dangerous form of coordination occurs when one person only coordinates with a small group, without coordinating with others, leading to a descent into chaos. For example, in small circles of bribery, a small group decides on benefits that favor their small group at the expense of a larger population, which we often describe as 'collusion.'
Coordination practices in blockchain.
1. Coordination between people: Collaboration.
When you are working with your colleagues, there will also be many coordination issues. How team members determine workloads, how different positions within a team coordinate their work, and how individuals negotiate to agree on something are all aspects of coordination between people, including governance, collaboration, distribution, etc.
Some coordination tools in the world of blockchain.
Coordinape: A protocol that rewards contributors based on appreciation behavior, suitable for decentralized teams.
CharmVerse: A management tool for building relationships and co-creating projects, helping team members synchronize tasks and progress.
FairSharing: An on-chain contribution distribution protocol that can transparently and trustlessly allocate rewards.
2. Coordination between communities: Cooperation.
When a group negotiates with another group, there will also be coordination issues, such as how different communities can cooperate, how to establish a common goal, and how to jointly organize a hackathon. The goal of cooperation is usually to achieve a win-win situation through joint resources, shared experiences, or solving common problems.
Some coordination cases in the blockchain field.
Hackathon collaboration: Gitcoin often hosts cross-community hackathons, encouraging talents from different communities to share knowledge and resources.
Joint governance agreements: Such as joint proposals between protocols (e.g., multi-chain DAO voting) to make cooperation between communities more efficient.
3. Coordination between chains: Cross-chain.
Coordination between chains is also a form of coordination, addressing how different chains can use the same cross-chain standards, how information is transmitted between chains, and how chains can achieve better interoperability.
Ethereum Interoperability Forum (EIF): During this year's Devcon, a milestone event occurred - the Ethereum Interoperability Forum (EIF). This gathering brought together key participants from the entire Ethereum ecosystem, setting aside competition to focus on a common mission: to make Ethereum truly interoperable.
The core of coordination is clarity, transparency, and consensus.
Whether it is coordination between individuals, cooperation between communities, or interoperability between chains, the essence of coordination lies in establishing clear goals, transparent mechanisms, and reaching a broad consensus. With the right tools and methods, coordination can not only reduce friction costs but also create greater value for all parties involved.
How to define a coordination standard.
The core of coordination is clarity, transparency, and consensus. Although we cannot define a unified coordination standard, there are some paths through which we can gradually achieve a coordination standard.
Transparent governance: Ensuring the decision-making process is publicly visible to enhance participant trust. Using tools like Snapshot and CharmVerse to achieve on-chain governance and improve transparency.
Reasonable resource allocation: Allocating resources based on contribution or need to avoid waste and unfairness. For instance, using tools like Coordinape or FairSharing to provide data-driven allocation mechanisms.
Effective feedback: Establish clear feedback channels to let each member understand the impact of their work on the whole. Use tools (like Discord, governance forums) for open discussions and optimize decision-making.
Conflicts are inevitable during the coordination process.
The antonym of coordination is 'unreasonable coordination,' which we usually refer to as 'collusion,' where a small group makes decisions that harm the interests of the larger group. This situation is prone to occur when coordination fails.
In reality, different people or groups have different criteria for judgment, which inevitably leads to conflicts during the coordination process. When facing conflicts, we need to resolve issues in the following ways:
Establish common standards: Create clear processes to reduce discrepancies caused by subjective judgments.
Listening and Negotiation: Allowing all stakeholders to fully express their opinions and finding a balance through discussion.
The final choice: Forking.
When conflicts cannot be resolved through coordination, the blockchain world provides a unique mechanism called 'forking.' Forking allows the parties in disagreement to follow their own visions and avoid the ongoing opposition caused by compromise.
After the DAO incident faced a hacker attack, the community had divergences on how to respond. Some chose to roll back the chain data, ultimately forming Ethereum; others insisted on the principle of immutability of the chain, continuing with Ethereum Classic.
The fork of Steem and Hive: Sun Yuchen's acquisition of the Steem community triggered a governance crisis, leading some community members to be dissatisfied with the new management and ultimately choose to fork, creating the Hive community.
Culture and Coordination: Choices from different ecosystems.
Interestingly, cultural perspectives are also an important consideration for community coordination, similar to the Ethereum and Bitcoin communities.
Bitcoin's coordination methods.
Anyone can join and can exit at any time.
If you disagree with the current state of Bitcoin, you can modify the client and fork off.
If you disagree with an upgrade, you can choose not to upgrade the client; you still remain in the Bitcoin network.
Ethereum's coordination methods.
Anyone can join and can exit at any time, but must agree to Ethereum's roadmap.
If you disagree with the current state of Ethereum, you can modify the client and fork off.
If you disagree with an upgrade and do not upgrade the client, you will be kicked out of the network and cannot continue on the Ethereum network.
When we converse with ChatGPT, we can clearly see the gaps between the Bitcoin and Ethereum communities.
Ethereum community: Wearing brightly colored outfits with a strong sense of futurism and interacting with high technology, reflecting the spirit of openness, cooperation, and innovation.
Bitcoin community: Dressed in simple and practical clothing, standing in an ancient fortress, demonstrating resilience, focus, and a commitment to stability.
Ethereum tends to solve problems through open discussion and technological innovation, attracting a diverse range of participants. Bitcoin, on the other hand, focuses more on maintaining the integrity of existing rules and avoiding excessive changes.
From the comparison between Bitcoin and Ethereum, we can see that communities from different cultural backgrounds choose coordination methods that align with their own goals and values.
Bitcoin's rules are simple and robust, suitable for an ecosystem of long-term value storage.
Ethereum's flexibility and innovation make it an ideal platform for technological experiments and application development.
Summary
Whether in cross-chain operations within the blockchain or cooperation between different communities, the core of coordination always lies in clear goals, transparent mechanisms, and broad consensus. By combining suitable tools with cultural understanding, we can find balance in conflicts and create greater value in collaboration. Understanding and applying the essence of coordination is an important way to achieve sustained progress.