Pen and Paper Blockchain
In order to help make the concepts and mechanics of blockchain more tangible I prototyped a workshop/game where participants receive and then maintain a pen and paper record that they maintain collectively in a process analogous to the proof of work protocol in blockchain.
V1
The concept was to contrast the process of centralized record keeping through a trusted intermediary with decentralized record keeping performed by all participants.
After a quick intro from me we performed an exercise where I served as the trusted intermediary to record a story.
I attempted to make a collective storytelling exercise where I provided people with a prompt and then they raised their hands and could add a sentence. I would record the sentences everyone said on a google doc file.
This was timed and after a couple minutes I revealed my record keeping. There was an instance where I ignored one classmate’s sentence because I didn’t feel like recording what she said. I highlighted this and compared it to paypal deciding not to accept transactions donating to wikileaks. Additionally there were spelling and grammatical errors, but this was the only record we had.
Following this exercise I briefly introduced how blockchain differs from this system of record keeping and we next did the same exercise, where everyone collectively created a story, but this time with distributed record keeping.
Every time someone came up with a sentence everyone recorded it on their own piece of paper.
At the end of the round everyone played rock paper scissors with the person next to them until their was one winner (similar to finding the right nonce in proof of work). This winner than got the opportunity to have everyone evaluate their record and vote if it was valid or not. If it was valid it was made “permanent” in our collective record by being photocopied and distributed to everyone. Following that everyone started recording again using a fresh sheet of paper and the process was recorded.
Following these exercises I facilitated a discussion with everyone on their thoughts on the different forms of record keeping and got feedback on the prototype.
Feedback:
- The photocopy I started everyone out with was a single 8.5x11” sheet of paper with a lot of white space below a sentence. It was unclear this was the previous permanent record and that people were to record on a new sheet, so a lot of people recorded right under it.
- People needed more intro on the components of a blockchain. They needed the analogies to be made more explicit, i.e. you are playing as a miner, this photocopy is a previous block that was made permanent, this fresh piece of paper is the new block you are recording, etc.
- The collective storytelling component was a bit too distracting. There is already so much going on and so much new in the mechanics of blockchain adding in the storytelling distracted.
- Incentives needed to be worked out. There was no reward for winning, no incentive to vote accurately, and no disincentive to vote inaccurately.
- Roll cards were too confusing
V2
Working off the feedback I received from my first workshop prototype I iterated.
- Made the paper blocks smaller, tried to make more intuitive and clearer how you interact with them
- Removed the creative storytelling and changed it to arbitrary recording of numbers went around the room and everyone said a number that you needed to then record on the paper. My hope was people maybe would start collectively trying to create pictures in the grid.
- Added in incentive for winning (3 pieces of candy)
- Added in incentive for voting correctly (secret ballot and then after revealed if you voted with majority you get 1 piece of candy).
Feedback on V2:
- Tie the reward more clearly to mining reward in bitcoin (e.g. coin shaped chocolate)
- Pre-existing blockchain would make clearer
- Ideally increase investment in what’s being recorded (so people care that it is accurate)
- Fabrication make it look finished and be stand alone guide for people to run workshop/game themselves.
Plan for V3:
- More competitive
People recording winning of rock paper scissor? - More customizable/standalone
Parts that can be used for multiple games
Different modes:
Decide what you want to record
Complete record using different methods - More workshoppy
Prompts for discussion
Opportunities for audience to be creative
To grapple with the problems and ideas themselves instead of passive presentation alone to them - Need to explain purpose of incentive
- Maximize interactivity
Instructions while interacting not all front loaded
