Workflow: Exit Humans, Enter Smart Contracts

Triggered by real-world information, smart contracts are an offshoot of blockchain technology that execute automated digital agreements.

Because smart contracts operate independently without need for human prompt, their potential is unlimited. Smart contract use will make work processes faster and more cost-effective.

We believe that the human experience is one that technology cannot replicate or replace, though there are segments of workflow in which human interaction complicates processes and sometimes adds unwanted bias.

While technology can’t replicate or replace certain aspects of the human experience, it can automate workflow, diminishing opportunity for unwanted complication or bias.

For example, smart contracts can be used to reduce bias in published material by making workflow logical, moving participants’ contributions through a streamlined process, fueled by “if-this, then-that” code language rather than human interaction.

In the case of our Decentralized News Network, smart contracts facilitate the movement of citizen journalism articles from writers to reviewers to publishers. The point in which smart contracts are most valuable is our review process where we accept seven bidders, based on their level of bid, to anonymously review the submitted work.

With DNN, smart contracts facilitate an autonomous workflow where articles can move, without interruption of institutional or group bias, from point to point within the publishing system.

These reviewers are chosen not by humans, but by smart contracts, based on the numerical value of their bid in DNN tokens. Their opinions, preferences, and potential biases are unknown to DNN, and unknown to each of the users selected.

Our review process, powered by smart contracts:

1. Once a writer is satisfied with their article, the article is submitted to the DNN network via a platform portal.
2. Submitted work enters the workflow and is stored in a distributed filestore (IPFS). This filestore generates a reference to the article that will be used by reviewers and readers to view its contents.
3. The reference to the article is then sent to the Review Contract which queues it for review.
4. In the review stage, reviewers send their bids to the Review Contract.
5. Once the reviewer bidding period ends, the Review Contract selects the seven highest bidders and privately assigns the article to each of them. Reviewers are notified that they have been selected via their DNN account pages.
6. While the reviewer interacts with the same version of the article that was originally written, they are not able to alter it. Instead, the reviewer may leave notes, similar to how Medium’s platform operates.
7. Upon reviewing the submitted article, each assigned reviewer casts a personal vote to determine if the piece should be published, not knowing how other reviewers may have voted. Additionally, each reviewer casts a determination vote based on how he or she feels the majority will vote on the article.
8. A majority number either pushes the article to be accepted and published, or rejected and sent back to the author. If the reviewer voted to reject the article, they are given an opportunity to provide feedback explaining why.

By allowing us to construct a network that is not facilitated by humans, smart contracts prove a valid use case, removing the human filter from decision making and thus diminishing biased outcomes.

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