Difference between revisions of "InstaGov"

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(notes from notebook)
(→‎Notes: Links: "why I hate LiquidThreads")
 
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==Overview==
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<hide>
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[[category:software/incomplete]][[InstaGov]] is software to aid very large groups in the process of decisionmaking and evaluating a large number of items which are entered into the system collaboratively. The philosophy behind its primary purpose (collaborative governance) is discussed in great detail on {{issuepedia}}, but there will probably be other uses for it as well.
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[[page type::project]]
 +
[[thing type::software]]
 +
[[category:software/incomplete]]
 +
</hide>
 +
==About==
 +
[[InstaGov]] is software to enable groups of people, of any size, to handle relatively large numbers of collaboratively-entered decisions in a rational and accurate way.
 +
 
 +
InstaGov will probably first be written as a plug-in for [[MediaWiki]]; it may later be available in other formats. It is entirely [[open source]], so others are free to adapt it to their own uses or add their own features.
 +
===Purpose===
 +
The philosophy behind its primary purpose (collaborative governance) is discussed in great detail on {{issuepedia}}, but there will probably be other uses for it as well.
  
 
InstaGov has two primary functions:
 
InstaGov has two primary functions:
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** aggregating individual rankings to determine which issues should be propagated to more people and which should be allowed to die out
 
** aggregating individual rankings to determine which issues should be propagated to more people and which should be allowed to die out
 
** organizing issues into a hierarchical topic system to allow users to filter in or out areas in which they have no interest
 
** organizing issues into a hierarchical topic system to allow users to filter in or out areas in which they have no interest
 +
** enabling rational discussion of complex issues within a large group of people
 +
===Modules===
 +
* '''[[/Liquid Agenda]]''' manages issues, solutions, and votes; records individual votes and aggregates them into final decisions
 +
* '''[[/Liquid Proxying]]''' allows users to select other trusted voters to help make decisions without surrendering any significant control
 +
* '''[[/Debate Mapper]]''' organizes and documents debate on complex issues
  
−
InstaGov will probably first be written as a plug-in for [[MediaWiki]]; it may later be available in other formats. It is entirely [[open source]], so others are free to adapt it to their own uses or add their own features.
+
===Documentation===
 +
* [[/schema]]: database design
 +
* [[/concepts]]
 +
* [[/syntax]]: how to use it within a document
 +
* '''archival''':
 +
** [[/SMW]]: alternative implementation using [[Semantic MediaWiki]], possibly for future use
 +
** [[/obsolete]] stuff
 
==Development Phases==
 
==Development Phases==
 
Phases in which functionality can be added:
 
Phases in which functionality can be added:
 
===Phase I===
 
===Phase I===
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* create question
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* create {{instagov|concepts|question}}
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** don't allow posting of question identical to existing one
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* create {{instagov|concepts|answer}}(s)
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*** detect similarity, though, and confirm that new question is desired
 
−
**** ask if redirect answer should be created, perhaps?
 
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* create answer(s)
 
 
** support for redirect to rephrased question
 
** support for redirect to rephrased question
 
*** somehow prevent redirection loops?
 
*** somehow prevent redirection loops?
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* vote on answer(s)
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* {{instagov|concepts|rating|rate}} answer(s)
 
* view results for specific question
 
* view results for specific question
 
===Phase II===
 
===Phase II===
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* show issues needing your vote
 
* show issues needing your vote
 
===Phase III: Proxies===
 
===Phase III: Proxies===
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* create proxy (weighted sum of other voters)
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* create {{instagov|concepts|proxy}}
 
* assign proxy to specific question
 
* assign proxy to specific question
 
* view your own proxy status (who is using you, and by what weights?)
 
* view your own proxy status (who is using you, and by what weights?)
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* rate question within personal category
 
* rate question within personal category
 
* assign proxy results to category
 
* assign proxy results to category
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==Preliminary Table Design==
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===Frills===
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===question===
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These can be added whenever needed:
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I originally had a "WhenExpires" field as a way of making a decision at a specific time, but I decided that this belongs in a separate table (something like "decision point"). Timetable functionality feels "tacked-on", and putting it in a separate table allows keeping that feature from becoming entangled with basic voting. We might want to be able to implement, say, more than one decision-point per question.
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* don't allow posting of question identical to existing one
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<section begin=sql /><mysql>CREATE TABLE `question` (
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** detect similarity, though, and confirm that new question is desired
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  `ID` INT  NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
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*** ask if redirect answer should be created, perhaps?
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  `Page` varchar(127) COMMENT "wiki page describing question",
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* don't allow posting of answer identical to existing one for a given question
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  `WhenCreated` DATETIME NOT NULL COMMENT "when this question was entered",
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** detect similarity, though, and confirm that new answer is desired
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  `Pos_Text` VARCHAR(63) DEFAULT NULL COMMENT "optional: default text to show at the 'yes' end of the scale",
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==Notes==
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  `Neg_Text` VARCHAR(63) DEFAULT NULL COMMENT "optional: default text to show at the 'no' end of the scale",
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This page needs an index to sites that provide similar tools, and how well each one meets the design goals set by InstaGov. (Issuepedia has a partial list.)
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  PRIMARY KEY(`ID`)
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−
)
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In general, petition sites have the following shortcomings:
−
ENGINE = MYISAM;</mysql>
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* no way to browse petitions by category (though some are beginning to add this)
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<section end=sql />
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* no way to discuss petitions on-site prior to signing them (e.g. to investigate possible objections)
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Not sure if we'll actually need Pos/Neg_Text; it may be just a frill.
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* no way to discuss petitions on-site prior to making them public (e.g. to refine the language, get a sense of what people would be likely to agree with)
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===answer===
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* no reliable way to check if you've already signed a given petition
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Any question may have zero or more answers. New answers can be added at any time.
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* no record of which petitions you've signed
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<section begin=sql /><mysql>CREATE TABLE `solution` (
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* no follow-up regarding whether petitions were successful, much less any analysis of why they failed (or succeeded)
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  `ID` INT  NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
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  `ID_Question` INT NO NULL COMMENT "problem.ID of problem for which this is a solution",
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==Links==
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  `Page` varchar(127) COMMENT "wiki page describing solution",
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* [http://www.mediawiki.org/w/index.php?title=Extension_talk:LiquidThreads&offset=20130109095522#Why_I_hate_LiquidThreads_18606 Why I hate LiquidThreads] describes a number of problems with threaded dialogue which InstaGov should probably try to address
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  `WhenCreated` DATETIME NOT NULL COMMENT "when this solution was entered",
 
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  `WhenExpires` DATETIME DEFAULT NULL COMMENT "when this solution expires (NULL = never)",
 
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  `Pos_Text` VARCHAR(63) DEFAULT NULL COMMENT "optional: text to show at the 'yes' end of the scale (overrides question default)",
 
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  `Neg_Text` VARCHAR(63) DEFAULT NULL COMMENT "optional: text to show at the 'no' end of the scale (overrides question default)",
 
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  PRIMARY KEY(`ID`)
 
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)
 
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ENGINE = MYISAM;</mysql>
 
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<section end=sql />
 
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===rating===
 
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Records each user's current rating of each proposed solution.
 
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<section begin=sql /><mysql>CREATE TABLE `approval` (
 
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  `ID` INT  NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
 
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  `ID_User` INT COMMENT "user.ID who gave this rating",
 
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  `ID_Answer` INT NOT NULL COMMENT "answer.ID for which this is a rating",
 
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  `ID_Log` INT NOT NULL COMMENT "ID of log event which posted this value",
 
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  `ID_Proxy` INT DEFAULT NULL COMMENT "if this approval was proxied, records which proxy was used",
 
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  `Value` INT NOT NULL COMMENT "rating value",
 
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  `WhenDone` DATETIME NOT NULL COMMENT "when this rating was posted",
 
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  `Remark` VARCHAR(255) COMMENT "comments on this rating (can include link)",
 
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  PRIMARY KEY(`ID`)
 
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)
 
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ENGINE = MYISAM;</mysql>
 
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<section end=sql />
 
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* '''Proxy approval''' is a concept I keep coming back to. Rather than trying to prevent vote-buying by secret ballots, which cause their own problems (make recounting more difficult, inhibits discussion of personal voting record), it goes exactly the opposite direction and encourages them while ''documenting'' every occurrence for further analysis.
 
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===rating log===
 
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Records every time a user submits a rating, including revisions.
 
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<section begin=sql /><mysql>CREATE TABLE `rating_log` (
 
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  `ID` INT  NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
 
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  `ID_Answer` INT NOT NULL COMMENT "answer.ID for which this is a rating",
 
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  `ID_Rating` INT NOT NULL COMMENT "rating.ID to which this rating was applied",
 
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  `ID_User` INT COMMENT "user.ID of user who gave this rating",
 
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  `ID_Solution` INT NOT NULL COMMENT "solution.ID of solution for which this is a rating",
 
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  `ID_Proxy` INT DEFAULT NULL COMMENT "if this approval was proxied, records who the proxy was",
 
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  `Value` INT NOT NULL COMMENT "rating value",
 
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  `WhenDone` DATETIME NOT NULL COMMENT "when this rating was posted",
 
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  `Remark` VARCHAR(255) COMMENT "comments on this rating (can include link or redirect)",
 
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  PRIMARY KEY(`ID`)
 
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)
 
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ENGINE = MYISAM;</mysql>
 
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<section end=sql />
 
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==Abandoned==
 
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This looks like it has been superseded by the category system.
 
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===escalation===
 
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This is for escalating '''problems'''; '''solutions''' are escalated solely by their approval ratings rather than via a separate mechanism.
 
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<section begin=sql /><mysql>CREATE TABLE `escalation` (
 
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  `ID`        INT NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
 
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  `ID_User`  INT NOT NULL,
 
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  `ID_Problem INT NOT NULL,
 
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  `ID_Topic  INT DEFAULT NULL COMMENT "optional: this rating applies only within the given topic",
 
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  `Rating`    INT NOT NULL    COMMENT "-10 to +10, or whatever range we end up using",
 
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  `Remark`  VARCHAR(255)      COMMENT "comments on this rating (can include link or redirect)",
 
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  PRIMARY KEY(`ID`)
 
−
)
 
−
ENGINE = MYISAM;</mysql>
 
−
<section end=sql />
 

Latest revision as of 13:09, 24 March 2013

About

InstaGov is software to enable groups of people, of any size, to handle relatively large numbers of collaboratively-entered decisions in a rational and accurate way.

InstaGov will probably first be written as a plug-in for MediaWiki; it may later be available in other formats. It is entirely open source, so others are free to adapt it to their own uses or add their own features.

Purpose

The philosophy behind its primary purpose (collaborative governance) is discussed in great detail on Issuepedia, but there will probably be other uses for it as well.

InstaGov has two primary functions:

  • vote tallying: collecting votes from each member and presenting aggregated data showing overall sentiment towards each issue
  • issue management:
    • aggregating individual rankings to determine which issues should be propagated to more people and which should be allowed to die out
    • organizing issues into a hierarchical topic system to allow users to filter in or out areas in which they have no interest
    • enabling rational discussion of complex issues within a large group of people

Modules

  • /Liquid Agenda manages issues, solutions, and votes; records individual votes and aggregates them into final decisions
  • /Liquid Proxying allows users to select other trusted voters to help make decisions without surrendering any significant control
  • /Debate Mapper organizes and documents debate on complex issues

Documentation

Development Phases

Phases in which functionality can be added:

Phase I

  • create question
  • create answer(s)
    • support for redirect to rephrased question
      • somehow prevent redirection loops?
  • rate answer(s)
  • view results for specific question

Phase II

  • list all questions (may arise naturally in Phase I)
  • show your status for each (created, voted)
  • show general stats for each (current favored answer, summed rating)
  • show issues needing your vote

Phase III: Proxies

  • create proxy
  • assign proxy to specific question
  • view your own proxy status (who is using you, and by what weights?)
  • ongoing question - should there be options for:
    • private (anonymous) proxy - nobody can see who they are using
    • secret proxy - existence of your proxy weighting is totally concealed

Phase IV: Categories

  • create category (general or personal)
  • vote question into general category
  • rate question within personal category
  • assign proxy results to category

Frills

These can be added whenever needed:

  • don't allow posting of question identical to existing one
    • detect similarity, though, and confirm that new question is desired
      • ask if redirect answer should be created, perhaps?
  • don't allow posting of answer identical to existing one for a given question
    • detect similarity, though, and confirm that new answer is desired

Notes

This page needs an index to sites that provide similar tools, and how well each one meets the design goals set by InstaGov. (Issuepedia has a partial list.)

In general, petition sites have the following shortcomings:

  • no way to browse petitions by category (though some are beginning to add this)
  • no way to discuss petitions on-site prior to signing them (e.g. to investigate possible objections)
  • no way to discuss petitions on-site prior to making them public (e.g. to refine the language, get a sense of what people would be likely to agree with)
  • no reliable way to check if you've already signed a given petition
  • no record of which petitions you've signed
  • no follow-up regarding whether petitions were successful, much less any analysis of why they failed (or succeeded)

Links

  • Why I hate LiquidThreads describes a number of problems with threaded dialogue which InstaGov should probably try to address
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