Objective:

To supplement or replace traditional Discourse discussions in zkNation with a more focused, data-driven, and transparent process using SimScore. This tool will facilitate more efficient decision-making by prioritizing independent judgments, reducing groupthink, and ensuring token-weighted input is at the forefront of DAO governance.

Background:

In DAOs, gathering diverse perspectives to make informed decisions is crucial but often challenging. While platforms like Discourse allow for open discussions, they can lead to challenges such as groupthink and herding, where the loudest voices dominate the conversation. This dynamic can obscure the true priorities of the group, especially when discussions spiral into side conversations that influence outcomes without everyone’s input.

SimScore stands apart by emphasizing independent judgment and unbiased aggregation of ideas. Drawing on principles from researchers like Daniel Kahneman, the method leverages data-driven insights to ensure that each participant’s input is collected and quantified independently. SimScore not only calculates a priority score for each idea based on the aggregated input but also incorporates a token-weighted structure to reflect the governance dynamics of the DAO. This approach yields a clear numerical ranking of ideas, providing a structured way to prioritize idea and opinions based on collective input.

By utilizing SimScore, DAOs can create a more focused, transparent, and efficient governance process that not only mitigates biases but also enhances overall proposal quality.

How SimScore Works:

Step 1: Independent Judgment Collection

• When zkNation needs to gather opinions on a topic or proposal, each member’s input is collected independently through SimScore, before they see what others have to say. This eliminates the influence of early or loud voices in shaping the conversation and preserves each participant’s unique perspective. This principle is rooted in research that demonstrates how independent judgment minimizes bias and improves decision quality.

Step 2: Unbiased Aggregation and Similarity Scoring

SimScore aggregates the independent inputs while maintaining an unbiased approach. Each idea is assigned a similarity score based on how closely it aligns with the central themes emerging from the group's feedback. Following this, token weighting is applied to ensure that the final prioritization respects the governance power within zkNation while maintaining the integrity of the independent judgments collected.

Step 3: Data-Driven Results

• SimScore generates a priority list and a relationship graph that shows how ideas are ranked and related to each other. This structured data provides the community and proposers a with a clear, quantifiable understanding of its members' token weighted priorities, based on rigorous and proven methodologies.

Step 4: Structured Presentation and Action

• Instead of sifting through endless forum posts, zkNation members and proposers are presented with a clear set of priorities and relationships, enabling faster and more focused decision-making.